Chelsea vs Liverpool LIVE: Carabao Cup final result after Kepa misses crucial penalty in shoot-out
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool (Liverpool wins 11-10 on penalties): Kepa Arrizabalaga’s miss settles thrilling final at Wembley
Follow live reaction as Liverpool won the Carabao Cup final on a penalty shootout after Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga missed the crucial spot-kick. After 20 penalties were scored, it went down to the goalkeepers to decide a thrilling final.
Caoimhin Kelleher scored his for Liverpool, but Kepa, who was brought on for the shoot-out after replacing Edouard Mendy, blazed his over the crossbar as Liverpool won the cup.
After both Liverpool and Chelsea made a pro-Ukraine gesture before kick-off, Christian Pulisic had the first chance of the final but was denied by Kelleher, to set the tone of a breathless final.
The Blues were on top in a frantic opening to the game but Liverpool soon gained control. Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy kept his side in it as he produced a stunning double save to prevent Sadio Mane from point-blank range.
Mason Mount then had a huge chance moments before half-time but skewed his volley wide after being found by Kai Havertz in the box, as the sides went into the break level.
Mount had a further chance after the break as he was picked out by Pulisic, but could only dig a finish onto the post from under his feet, as Thomas Tuchel pounded the turf in frustration.
Liverpool thought they had taken the lead on 66 minutes when Joel Matip headed in from close range, only for it to be disallowed by VAR as Virgil van Dijk, who blocked Thiago Silva, was ruled offside.
Chelsea then had a goal disallowed after Timo Werner was offside before Havertz finished past Kelleher. Both goalkeepers made further saves to send the final into extra-time, as Mendy dived to keep out Van Dijk’s header and Kelleher stopped Romelu Lukaku’s flick with his feet.
Lukaku then had a goal disallowed by VAR after the striker went too early before firing past Kelleher. Chelsea had another goal disallowed, as Havertz saw his finish ruled out, as the match went to penalties.
Follow reaction to a thrilling Carabao Cup final below:
Fans arriving at Wembley
Fans of both teams have slowly been arriving at Wembley.
More than a few are making their support for Ukraine known by waving the country’s flag and dressing in their colours. Some fans also have posters to show their support.
New-look attack highlights Liverpool’s continued outperformance in the transfer market
In the afterglow of Madrid 2019, Liverpool had two policies at play: an immediate focus on retention, and a measured, longer lens on crafting the next great team.
The front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were the most instructive element to both approaches.
They were considerably attractive targets to rival clubs - the easiest to lose - which intensified efforts to keep the spine of the squad intact, but they were also seriously difficult to supplement and eventually upgrade.
New-look attack shows Liverpool’s continued outperformance in transfer market
Liverpool head into the League Cup final with the most fearsome attack in Europe, but how did they manage to build it while in recruitment transition?
Chelsea team changes
Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta are the only players to keep their places from Chelsea semi-final second leg against Tottenham.
Hakim Ziyech isn’t in the squad and Edouard Mendy is preferred to Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal. Romelu Lukaku starts on the bench as does Reece James who is in the matchday squad for the first time since December.
Chelsea team to face Liverpool: Lukaku starts on the bench
Chelsea XI: Mendy, Chalobah, Thiago Silva, Rudiger, Azpilicueta, Kante, Kovacic, Alonso, Mount, Havertz, Pulisic
Subs: Arrizabalaga, James, Sarr, Jorginho, Loftus-Cheek, Saul, Hudson-Odoi, Lukaku, Werner
Liverpool’s team changes
Jurgen Klopp makes four changes to the Liverpool team that defeated Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg. Caoimhin Kelleher keeps his place in goal but Thiago Alcantara comes into midfield replacing Curtis Jones.
The front three is completely different. Roberto Firmino is injured, Kaide Gordon is not in the squad and Diogo Jota starts on the bench. In their place come Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Luis Diaz.
Liverpool team to face Chelsea: Kelleher starts, Jota on the bench
Liverpool: Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago; Salah, Mane, Diaz
Substitutes: Alisson, Konate, Milner, Keita, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Minamino, Jota, Tsimikas, Origi
Tuchel on Lukaku and Jorghino
Thomas Tuchel has been speaking about the playing time of Romelu Lukaku and Jorginho - who both missed Chelsea’s Champions League first leg against Lille - and how he thinks the spotlight is always put on strikers. He said:
He has been good, like everybody else. He is an important player. He played a lot of matches from the start for us.
"We have maybe the same situation with Jorginho, one of our captains. He did not play so much from the beginning lately because we feel he’s a bit tired.
"The focus is hugely on Romelu, but the situation is more or less the same for Jorginho."
Chelsea vs Liverpool
Both of these teams have won the Champions League more recently than the League Cup. Liverpool won the Champions League in 2018-19 and last lifted this trophy in 2012 with Chelsea winning the European competition last season and last winning the League Cup in 2015.
The teams have met once in the League Cup final back in 2005 when Chelsea went on to lift the cup after a 3-2 victory following extra-time.
No German manager has ever won the League Cup but Thomas Tuchel and Jurgen Klopp are both from Germany and whoever wins today will be the first German to lift the trophy.
Tuchel on Reece James’ potential return
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has admitted feeling tempted to throw fit-again Reece James straight into the Carabao Cup final.
England wing-back James has finally beaten the hamstring tear that has kept him sidelined since Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Brighton at Stamford Bridge on 29th December.
Tuchel said:
He looked brilliant in the last two training sessions, he still has another session, [so] let’s see if I’m crazy enough to put him on the pitch or my reasoned side to take it step by step.”
Thomas Tuchel hints at Reece James return in Carabao Cup final
England wing-back James has been sidelined since December
Kelleher to start for Liverpool
Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher is set to start for the Reds today. He has played in three of Liverpool’s five Carabao Cup matches this term and is set to start according to Liverpool’s assistant manager Pep Lijnders who said:
I think Caoimh is a really good example. If you look at him, he is going to play the final – if everything goes well tomorrow, of course, in training.
“Him reaching the final, it shows there is an inside path for all young goalkeepers inside our club. It’s a compliment for the goalkeeper department, of course, to have this trust, for the manager to have this trust.
“But this is what I like: it’s possible for a young goalkeeper in our club to reach a final; with time, with a lot of training, with a lot of games, with a lot of steps. That’s really nice to see.”
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