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?
Follow all the action from Wembley plus get the latest Carabao Cup final odds and tips right here:
Carabao Cup final LIVE
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Chelsea take on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final with kick off at 3pm
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Mohamed Salah faces a late fitness test to see if he is available for Liverpool
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Mauricio Pochettino wants to unlock Chelsea’s ‘winning mentality’
Chelsea FC – Liverpool FC
Carabao Cup final LIVE
13:07 , Mike Jones
Of Liverpool’s nine previous League Cup final victories, only two were achieved inside 90 minutes with those being against Bolton Wanderers in 1995 and Manchester United in 2003.
The other seven required extra-time, penalty shootouts or replays.
Don’t judge me on winning titles, says Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino
12:58 , Mike Jones
Mauricio Pochettino has urged Chelsea supporters not to judge him on whether or not his team lifts the Carabao Cup at Wembley on Sunday.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool stand in the way of a first trophy since co-owner Todd Boehly bought the club in May 2022 and began a radical overhaul.
The Argentinian is also aiming to win silverware for the first time in England, having been runner-up in this competition to his current club in 2015 while in charge of Tottenham.
Don’t judge me on winning titles, says Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino
Klopp and Liverpool stars inspect Wembley pitch ahead of final
12:50 , Mike Jones
Jurgen Klopp and his Liverpool players were seen inspecting the Wembley pitch ahead of the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea.
The two sides go toe-to-toe for the first domestic silverware of the season on Sunday 25 February.
Liverpool are looking to win a record-extending 12th League Cup, while Chelsea are chasing their sixth crown.
The Blues are also looking to win their first domestic trophy since 2018 after losing three Wembley finals in a row – including both Carabao Cup and FA Cup finals to Liverpool on penalties two years ago.
Carabao Cup final LIVE
12:42 , Mike Jones
Liverpool are aiming to lift the trophy for a record 10th time, which would put them two successes ahead of Manchester City. In comparison Chelsea have won the League Cup five times with their most recent success coming in 2014-15.
Van Dijk ‘proud’ to captain Liverpool at Wembley
12:34 , Mike Jones
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk says he is ‘very proud’ to lead out the Reds at Wembley this afternoon as the Merseyside club looks to win another trophy during the tenure of Jurgen Klopp.
The Reds face Chelsea in a repeat of the 2022 Carabao Cup final with this match the club’s first final since Van Dijk’s appointment as captain.
“Very proud, very proud,” Van Dijk told Liverpoolfc.com. “Of course it was, I won’t say a relief, but [I had] the feeling of being proud when we obviously got the job done at Fulham and it will be a very proud day, a special day.
“Hopefully we can make it the best possible outcome by winning the cup and taking it back to Liverpool.
“I very much look forward to it. I very much look forward to seeing all our fans there of course, and hopefully getting our first silverware of the season.
“Obviously in this competition a lot of youngsters have contributed to where we are at the moment so everyone can feel proud and connected to where we are at the moment – and I think that’s why it’s good that we are there.”
Mauricio Pochettino ‘waking up’ Chelsea’s winning mentality ahead of Carabao Cup final
12:26 , Mike Jones
Malo Gusto believes Mauricio Pochettino is “waking up” a winning mentality in Chelsea’s young squad as they prepare for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.
The Argentinian’s resurgent team face Liverpool at Wembley looking to claim the club’s first silverware since co-owner Todd Boehly took over in May 2022.
In that time there has been an almost total overhaul of personnel both on the pitch and behind the scenes, with over £1bn spent on assembling a team with the youngest average age in the Premier League.
Pochettino ‘waking up’ Chelsea’s winning mentality ahead of Carabao Cup final
Pochettino not taking Liverpool lightly despite injuries
12:17 , Mike Jones
Mauricio Pochettino knows that Liverpool’s ever-growing injury list is not an excuse for his team to slack and believe that the Reds will not be as formidable a threat at Wembley this afternoon.
Pochettino stressed that it was important for the team not to alter their expectations of Liverpool who are a side which will provide a tough challenge no matter their starting line-up.
“I understand always, I never like to see your opponent or teams suffer injured players,” Pochettino said, “Of course we empathise because we were dealing with it from the beginning.
“I understand that always it’s difficult. I think always in the middle when the dynamic is positive, if you suffer some injuries you can manage. You can find solutions that can work easy, but when it is from the beginning and you still need to create a positive dynamic, always you are chasing the rabbit.
“But I understand that the circumstances are maybe not easy today for the opponent, but the competition is the competition.
“We cannot complain, we cannot find things that can affect the players who are going to compete. For sure Liverpool are going to be Liverpool and we need to go there thinking that we need to beat Liverpool.”
Pochettino on leading Chelsea in a final at Wembley
12:08 , Mike Jones
Mauricio Pochettino says he and his team are proud to take charge of Chelsea on such a momentous occasion with a trophy at stake.
“It means a lot for us, me and my coaching staff, to have the possibility to arrive in a final and to challenge a team like Liverpool to win our first title here, 11 years after we arrived at Southampton,” the Argentine explained.
“It’s a dream for us and we have the possibility. We have 90 minutes to achieve that and we are going to fight. I think the team is ready, we are going to be very competitive and it is an amazing chance for us.
“Wembley is like home, because we played a lot there with Tottenham. It feels like going back to your home, because after one-and-a-half years competing there we created a very good bond between Wembley, the team and everyone there.
“For sure it is going to be special to play there and special if we win. We are going to give our best to compete, be better than Liverpool and deserve to lift the trophy.”
Reds back at Wembley
12:00 , Mike Jones
Liverpool are making their 14th appearance in the League Cup final. This is their 44th appearance at Wembley, with 22 wins to date.
Will they make it 23 wins by defeating Chelsea this afternoon?
Why the Carabao Cup is so much more than just a trophy to Liverpool and Chelsea
11:52 , Mike Jones
In the last few days, Mauricio Pochettino has reminded his Chelsea players of the embarrassment they felt coming off the pitch at Anfield a few weeks ago. Liverpool eviscerated them 4-1. But Jurgen Klopp’s squad haven’t really dwelt on that victory themselves. They’ve had too much happening. Liverpool are going full steam ahead for four trophies.
This League Cup may well be a first on a few levels, but also a last.
It is at least possible it will be the last trophy that Klopp wins with Liverpool. It could well be a special afternoon, even if it isn’t totally realised on the day.
Why the Carabao Cup is much more than just a trophy to Liverpool and Chelsea
Thiago Silva could be fit for Carabao Cup final
11:44 , Mike Jones
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed Thiago Silva has a chance of being passed fit in time to return for today’s Carabao Cup final against Liverpool.
Speaking earlier in the week Pochettino said he is 99% certain of his starting XI but is waiting to see if some of the injured players in his squad will be fit.
“We need to assess a few players still to see if they can be involved on Sunday,” said Pochettino on Friday. “We will know tomorrow if we can recover some players from injury.
“Thiago has a chance, tomorrow we will see if he is ready to be involved in the game.
“I have decided who will be the goalkeeper. 99 per cent my team is in my head. I have not told the players yet because always, anything can happen.
“So I prefer to wait until tomorrow, or maybe after tomorrow.”
Klopp on Kelleher’s importance to Liverpool
11:35 , Mike Jones
In the absence of Alisson Becker, Caoimhin Kelleher will start in goal for Liverpool for today’s final. He also played in the Carabao Cup final in 2022 and scored the winning penalty in the shootout.
Klopp was full of praise for his second goalkeeper and says that Kelleher deserves the chance to feature in another cup final.
“I know Caoimh for eight years so I saw him growing… literally! He deserves it, he is a fantastic goalkeeper. I think I was not shy of mentioning that in public,” he said.
“You know we have this wall at the goalie area [at the AXA Training Centre], which Adrian is on because he won the Super Cup, and Caoimh went on after that night at Wembley, which was a pretty special night for him and for us.
“He just deserves it, let me say it like that, of all the things. We have so many nice stories at the moment with our own kids getting through to the first team.
“And I think having Alisson Becker in the club as the No.1 – if I would have to make a world XI tomorrow, he would be the goalie – being then No.2 is top because you can learn so many things.
“But of course you need game time as well, and giving him that now in the Europa League in the group stage and the Carabao Cup, he played a lot of games. Getting through to the final is for sure a pretty special story for him.”
Carabao Cup final LIVE
11:26 , Mike Jones
Chelsea and Liverpool have met in two previous League Cup finals (2005 and 2022) and two previous FA Cup finals (2012 and 2022).
This will be the first fixture to have been played in five different major domestic finals in English football history.
Liverpool’s last victory over Chelsea
11:17 , Mike Jones
Here’s a reminder of what happened the last time these two teams met. It was a Premier League game at Anfield back in January and Liverpool were the better side by far.
Diogo Jota, Conor Bradley, Dominik Szoboszlai and Luis Diaz all scored that day as the Reds romped to a 4-1 victory. Will they repeat that type of performance at Wembley?
Liverpool’s thrashing of Chelsea reveals true impact of Jurgen Klopp decision
Klopp on facing Chelsea… again
11:09 , Mike Jones
Liverpool’s two cup final victories in 2022, the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup, both came at the expense of Chelsea. The two teams face off against each other again today though Jurgen Klopp says that past results count for nothing in a final.
“The result we had here [a 4-1 league win over Chelsea at Anfield last month] doesn’t help, of course we have to play the game again and it’s like firing the opponent up slightly,” said the Liverpool boss.
“The final is a completely different game, there’s no home ground obviously. We played them now a couple of times in a final and we know one part is blue and one is red. We know what our people are able to do, but the Chelsea people will be looking forward to it as well.
“But everybody knows, a final, there is no favourite, it starts at nil and for each little advantage you want to have, you have to work incredibly hard.
“The two Chelsea games in the finals [in 2022], I remember as two of the best draws I’ve ever been part of in my entire life because it was from a tactical point of view incredible, from an intensity point of view incredible, and then 0-0, 0-0 – strange one.”
Jurgen Klopp on Liverpool reaching Carabao Cup final
11:00 , Mike Jones
Despite missing the pre-match press conference Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp, hasn’t been silent ahead of today’s League Cup showpiece.
Speaking with Liverpoolfc.com Klopp was asked if he thought his team deserved to be in the final and the German was absolutely certain that they did.
“Oh, 100 per cent. I have no doubt about it. Really tough opponents and really great performances.” said Klopp when assessing Liverpool’s route to Wembley.
“We changed a lot, changed the teams a lot. For us the competition was a benefit as well, if you want, because at that time we had pretty much 95 per cent of the squad available and we could play them all and we did. So it’s great.
“It’s the Caoimhin Kelleher competition as well, so he has the chance to win the second trophy of his career, which is absolutely great. He won already a lot, but standing in the goal I know that maybe feels for the boys slightly different. He plays the second final, let me say it like that. That’s all really cool.
“So far, only positives about the competition.”
Pep Lijnders gives Liverpool injury update
10:52 , Mike Jones
Liverpool’s assistant manager Pep Lijnders took the pre-match press conference on Friday for the Carabao Cup final and provided an update on the Reds’ state of injuries.
He said: “Dom [Szoboszlai], Darwin [Nunez] and Mo [Salah]: we have to really see. We have two more days, today’s session and tomorrow’s session, and we will check if they can be there. It will be great if they can.”
Mohamed Salah injury update as Liverpool given boost ahead of Carabao Cup final
10:43 , Mike Jones
Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai could all be fit for the Carabao Cup final as Liverpool have hope they could welcome three players back against Chelsea at Wembley.
But their injury problems have worsened in another respect with confirmation that Alisson Becker, Curtis Jones and Trent Alexander-Arnold will all be out for at least another month and will miss the potential Premier League title decider against Manchester City.
It also means that Alexander-Arnold will miss England’s games against Brazil and Belgium, while the in-form Jones will be denied the chance of a first senior international call-up.
Mohamed Salah injury update as Liverpool given boost ahead of Carabao Cup final
Chelsea vs Liverpool prediction
10:35 , Mike Jones
The last time these two teams met in the League Cup final the match ended in a goalless draw after 120 minutes. It went to penalties with the Reds coming out on top 11-10 in what is remembered a penalty shootout classic.
Since then Mauricio Pochettino has come in as Chelsea boss and attempted to instill a more aggressive flair to their play which has seen limited success.
Jurgen Klopp meanwhile is redeveloping Liverpool after departures from the squad who triumphed in this competition a couple of years ago. They are more raw yet equally exciting and this match is set to be a thrilling affair.
Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool (Liverpool win on penalties).
Chelsea vs Liverpool predicted line-ups
10:26 , Mike Jones
With both managers juggling injuries and absentees here’s how we think the teams will line up for this afternoon’s final. Chelsea seemingly have the more settled XI though Liverpool’s experience and strong forward line mya prove to be the difference.
Chelsea XI: Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Colwill, Chilwell; Caicedo, Fernandez, Gallagher; Sterling, Palmer, Jackson
Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Endo, Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
What is the early team news?
10:18 , Mike Jones
Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva could be available for the Blues but Mauricio Pochettino also has a lenghty list of absentees, with Brenoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Reece James, Romeo Lavia and Carney Chukwuemeka all out.
Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai face “last-minute” fitness tests but could be available for Liverpool, but the Reds will be without goalkeeper Alisson Becker, vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota.
How to watch the Carabao Cup final
10:09 , Mike Jones
Liverpool vs Chelsea will kick-off at 3pm on Sunday 25 February at Wembley Stadium.
It will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football. Coverage starts from 2pm on Main Event and from 2:30pm on Sky Sports Football.
If you’re not a Sky customer you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.
If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.
Good morning!
10:01 , Mike Jones
Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of today’s Carabao Cup final. Chelsea and Liverpool go head-to-head in a repeat of the 2021-22 league cup final as the two sides clash at Wembley this afternoon.
Jurgen Klopp is hoping to end his time as Liverpool boss with more silverware while Mauricio Pochettino is searching for a first trophy as Chelsea manager.
We’ll have all the latest updates throughout the morning so stick around as we build up to kick off at 3pm.
Source Agencies
