Carabao Cup: Klopp and Liverpool stars inspect Wembley pitch ahead of final
Chelsea and Liverpool go head-to-head in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday afternoon with both managers bringing special meaning into the match.
Should the Blues triumph at Wembley, it will be a first trophy success under boss Mauricio Pochettino which would go a long way to legitimising his place at the club during a tumultuous domestic campaign that sees Chelsea sit just inside the top half of the Premier League.
Meanwhile for Jurgen Klopp, a Carabao Cup victory would be the start of the end. With the Liverpool manager leaving the club at the end of the season, the team and the fans hope for a successful end to his tenure at Anfield. The Reds are still competing on four fronts this season and a win this afternoon would secure them a second League Cup under the German.
The last time Liverpool won the trophy was in 2021/22. That day they also faced Chelsea and after playing out a stalemate over 120 minutes the Reds triumphed 11-10 in a remarkable penalty shootout. Will they do the same today?
It will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football. Follow all the action from Wembley plus get the latest Carabao Cup final odds and tips right here:
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
The ball will not go in the net. Nkunku, Palmer, Gusto and Nkunku again all have shots from the right side of the penalty but between Kelleher and Konate they are all denied.
Wonderful defending but Chelsea have their tails up in these potentially closing moments.
Mike Jones25 February 2024 16:55
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
90 mins: Mykhailo Mudryk comes on for Chelsea with Nicolas Jackson the man to give way. There’s six minutes of added time to play before extra time.
Mike Jones25 February 2024 16:53
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
88 mins: Jurgen Klopp makes a triple changes and brings on his youthful substitutes. Jayden Danns, James McConnell and Kostas Tsimikas all come on to replace Andy Robertson, Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo.
What an occasion this is for these youngsters.
Mike Jones25 February 2024 16:51
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
85 mins: Chance! That was the moment.
Cole Palmer receives the ball from Enzo Fernandez and dances down the right wing as Chelsea burst forward. Christopher Nkunku takes the defenders away as Palmer threads a perfect pass through to Conor Gallagher.
He tips the ball into the box but Caoimhim Kelleher is on top of him immediately and Gallagher’s shot is charged down by the goalkeeper!
Mike Jones25 February 2024 16:49
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
82 mins: Ibrahima Konate goes in the book for a wayward challenge on Enzo Fernandez. There is a degree of desperation to proceedings now as both teams try to win the game without giving up the chance of losing it.
There are a lot of nervous faces in the crowd now.
Mike Jones25 February 2024 16:45
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
79 mins: One goal will win this game.
Whoever scores inside the 90 minutes will be crowned Carabao Cup champions. Can one of the teams find that winning goal?
Elliott picks out Gomez on the right side of the box and his effort is smoked straight into the hands of Petrovic.
Mike Jones25 February 2024 16:42
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
Cole Palmer drives the ball down the right wing before feeding a wonderful pass into the box for Conor Gallagher. He sweeps into a gap between Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate then guides the ball towards the back post.
His aim is too good and the ball hits the upright before rebounding back into play where Liverpool belt it clear.
Mike Jones25 February 2024 16:39
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
75 mins: Clark’s first impact on the game is to win a corner which Alexis Mac Allister sends into the penalty area. The ball hits Ibrahima Konate in the chest and he is unable to control it properly meaning Chelsea work it clear.
Mike Jones25 February 2024 16:38
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
73 mins: 19-year-old Bobby Clark comes on for Liverpool now for Liverpool with Conor Bradley the man taken off. There’s a touch over quarter of an hour left to play with a potential half an hour added on if this match goes to extra time.
Mike Jones25 February 2024 16:35
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
72 mins: Close! Luis Diaz goes direct and drives through the middle of Chelsea’s formation before offloading the ball to Cody Gakpo.
Gakpo shoots first time but leans back on the effort and loops it over the crossbar!
Mike Jones25 February 2024 16:34