Carabao Cup final on Sky: Which German tactician will prevail?

Sunday’s Carabao Cup final will be billed as Jurgen Klopp versus Thomas Tuchel, the guy who followed the guy, but neither manager will think he deserves top billing.

For all he has done in turning Liverpool into a force again Klopp insists, as he always has, it is all about the achievements of the players.

Tuchel, whose first year in charge has brought a Champions League, a UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup, argues similarly.

Both play down the similarity of their career paths: Tuchel succeeding Klopp first at Mainz and then Borussia Dortmund before, ultimately, following him into the Premier League.

But where they are alike is in getting the job done when it matters. Admittedly Klopp has had more final failures than his opposite number but at six years his senior that is probably to be expected.

Klopp needed four finals to get his hands on his first piece of silverware at Anfield, losing the League Cup, Europa League and Champions League finals before finally securing the club’s sixth European Cup, which was immediately followed by a first league title in 30 years.

Tuchel has had more immediate success, although some would argue his four major domestic trophies in two seasons with Paris Saint-Germain was the bare minimum expected.

But his influence on Chelsea having taken charge just over 13 months ago was equally instantaneous as he lifted the side from ninth to fourth, took them to an FA Cup final (losing to Leicester) and achieved his biggest success yet by overseeing victory over Manchester City in the Champions League final.

However, their teams meet at Wembley seemingly on considerably different levels.

Reds hunting unprecedented quadruple

Klopp lost seven straight finals before steering Liverpool to Champions League glory in 2019. Since then the Reds have won the Club World Cup and the Premier League.

In that context it is easy to see Liverpool’s 2016 League Cup and Europa League final losses, and the Champions League defeat in 2018, as part of a sustained building process.

The trophies and glory that followed cemented Klopp’s era of success, and lifted a certain weight off both manager and club.

Liverpool’s route to Wembley

Third round: Norwich 0 Liverpool 3 (September 21)

Takumi Minamino kicked off his Carabao Cup campaign in similar fashion to 12 months previously with two goals in the third round. Both teams made nine changes – with 16-year-old Kaide Gordon and 18-year-old Conor Bradley making their debuts – and Minamino struck after just four minutes. Caoimhin Kelleher saved a first-half Christos Tzolis penalty before Divock Origi’s first goal in a year was followed by Minamino’s second.

Fourth round: Preston 0 Liverpool 2 (October 27)

League Cup specialists Minamino and Origi put their side through after a testing opening hour at Deepdale in which Adrian was the busier of the two goalkeepers. There was another debut, this time for youngster Harvey Blair, and a first start full for fellow 18-year-old Tyler Morton, but it needed Minamino to make the breakthrough in the 62nd minute with the visitors’ first shot on target. Origi’s late acrobatic flick secured progress.

Quarter-final: Liverpool 3 Leicester 3; Liverpool win 5-4 on penalties (December 22)

Minamino scored for the third successive cup match, his equaliser in the final seconds of six minutes’ stoppage time setting up a shoot-out in which Kelleher was the hero. Liverpool twice recovered from a two-goal deficit, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain replying to Jamie Vardy’s double inside 13 minutes, with Diogo Jota responding to James Maddison’s brilliant strike before Minamino recorded his fourth in three matches in the competition. Kelleher saved two spot-kicks and Jota slotted the winner.

Semi-final, first leg: Liverpool 0 Arsenal 0 (January 13)

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker made his League Cup debut after three and a half years at the club but it was the other end of the pitch which came under scrutiny as 78 per cent possession resulted in just one shot on target – in added time – from 17 attempts. Granit Xhaka’s second red card in just 13 appearances left the visitors playing with 10 men for 71 minutes but they held out.

Semi-final, second leg: Arsenal 0 Liverpool 2; Liverpool win 2-0 on aggregate (January 20)

Jota’s double secured a first League Cup final in six years. The Portugal international put his side ahead with a low shot which wrong-footed Aaron Ramsdale in the first half before VAR overruled an offside flag which had threatened to chalk off his second-half strike. Arsenal’s misery was compounded when substitute Thomas Partey – who only returned from the Africa Cup of Nations earlier in the day – was sent off 16 minutes after coming off the bench.

This season, Liverpool are still contesting four competitions, chasing down defending Premier League champions Manchester City and making serene progress in Europe with a virtually fully-fit squad all working in harmony.

The club’s decorated recent run under Klopp has pushed the League Cup down the Reds’ priority pecking order. But despite City’s shock loss to Tottenham putting Liverpool back in the Premier League hunt, that will not mean any focus is lost on Sunday. This is the Reds’ first chance to lift something tangible this season, and Klopp and company will not intend to waste it.

The FA Cup and Champions League are still possibilities, but no one of an Anfield persuasion will want to let this trophy pass by.

Will Lukaku be benched again?

Chelsea’s form has been more inconsistent but having failed to sustain a challenge with the top two they are still in contention for a cup treble, although things inside the squad appear not to be so rosy.

Following the fall-out from Romelu Lukaku’s December interview in which he professed his love for former club Inter Milan but less so for Tuchel – for which he had to apologise – the relationship between the £97.5million signing and his head coach has remained difficult.

The striker appears to still be struggling with Tuchel’s tactics: his only goals in 2022 have come against Chesterfield, Al Hilal and Palmeiras; last weekend he played 90 minutes against Crystal Palace and touched the ball just seven times; and in midweek against Lille he did not even get off the bench.

Fortunately Chelsea are so sound defensively, and with players like Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz finding some form, they have just about been getting away with not having Lukaku anywhere near his best.

If Chelsea want to try to stretch Liverpool or even match the Reds’ mobility, then Lukaku could be out of luck again.

Their two draws against Liverpool this season, particularly last month’s in recovering a two-goal deficit, means they will walk out at Wembley confident they can meet the challenge posed by Klopp’s side.

Chelsea’s route to Wembley

Third round: Chelsea 1 Aston Villa 1; Chelsea win 4-3 on penalties (September 22)

Reece James drilled home the decisive spot-kick after Chelsea were dragged into a shoot-out by Villa. The visitors’ young forward Cameron Archer grabbed a second-half equaliser to cancel out Timo Werner’s opener for the Blues. Full-back James had set up Werner’s header with a neat cross, then kept his nerve to despatch the winning penalty.

Fourth round: Chelsea 1 Southampton 1; Chelsea win 4-3 on penalties (October 26)

James again converted the winning penalty, reprising his pivotal role from the third round. Hakim Ziyech teed up Kai Havertz for a goal just before half-time that had Chelsea hoping to take control. But after the interval Che Adams pounced to put the tie back on level terms. Kepa Arrizabalaga conjured two fine late saves to push the clash into a shoot-out, and again the Blues kept their heads. Theo Walcott and Will Smallbone missed from the spot for Saints, but James stayed cool again to send Chelsea through.

Quarter-final: Brentford 0 Chelsea 2 (December 22)

Positive coronavirus tests and injuries wrecked Tuchel’s selection plans, with the Blues boss fielding three teenage academy stars. But Pontus Jansson’s own goal 10 minutes from time helped the Blues sneak ahead, before Jorginho’s penalty sealed the win.

Semi-final first leg: Chelsea 2 Tottenham 0 (January 5)

Havertz’s early effort handed Chelsea total control against an outclassed Tottenham, who were further pegged back by a Ben Davies own goal. The Blues were determined to seize the initiative in the home leg and so it proved, with the clean sheet only boosting their dominance. Antonio Conte cut a subdued figure on the touchline in enduring a miserable return to his former club.

Semi-final second leg: Tottenham 0 Chelsea 1; Chelsea win 3-0 on aggregate (January 12)

Toni Rudiger’s early effort handed Tottenham a mountain to climb to stop rivals Chelsea reaching their first League Cup final since 2019. Spurs falling further behind in the overall tie early in the second leg allowed the Blues to close out the triumph and move into the final with minimum fuss.

They will be, however, meeting a different team in terms of form, confidence and quality from their early January encounter at Stamford Bridge and have been invigorated by getting themselves back into a title race with Manchester City.

In the intervening period Liverpool have won 10 and drawn one of 11 matches, added ready-made Porto forward Luis Diaz into their already heady attacking mix and have gained a real sense of momentum and belief.

That, as rivals have found to their cost in the past, is an irrepressible mix and with Klopp rejuvenated after more than a season behind closed doors appeared to dull his love of the game the Reds will start as favourites.

Klopp confirms Kelleher will start in goal

Under Klopp, Liverpool have won 35 per cent of their meetings with Chelsea in all competitions; among sides they have faced at least 10 times under the German, only against Manchester United do they have a lower win ratio.

Indeed, Klopp is winless in his last four managerial clashes with compatriot Tuchel, including the three since he joined Chelsea. The Liverpool boss has no qualms about his decision to pick Caoimhin Kelleher.

The day after his side booked their meeting with Chelsea at Wembley, Klopp made the unusual step of publicly announcing the Republic of Ireland international would start in the final.

Kelleher has played in every domestic cup game this season, except the semi-final first leg at home to Arsenal when first-choice Alisson Becker was in need of match practice after a Covid-enforced absence.

But Klopp reverted to his original selection policy for the second leg away from home and feels he has to give 23-year-old Kelleher games to keep him at the club.

“Caoimh is an exceptional goalkeeper and we want to keep him here and for that, he needs games,” said Klopp. “These games are his competition, and there’s no chance of him not playing.

“It’s just a thing we have to do because of the quality Caoimh has. We want to keep him as long as somehow possible, knowing that, from our point of view, the best goalkeeper in the world (Alisson) is our number one.

“As always, if it works out, then it’s all about Caoimh. If it doesn’t work out, then it’s all about me. It’s as easy as that, and I take it.”

Is balance of power shifting towards Tuchel?

Klopp and Tuchel have faced each other 17 times in management. Liverpool’s boss boasts nine victories, with Tuchel prevailing just three times.

Klopp has so far been unable to get the better of Tuchel in England, however. Tuchel has led Chelsea to one win and two draws against Liverpool.

Both Premier League encounters this season have ended honours even. First Chelsea’s 10 men battled to a creditable 1-1 draw at Anfield in August, before the Blues hit back from the brink to snatch a 2-2 result at Stamford Bridge in January.

Chelsea’s defensive prowess under Tuchel has turned the Blues into bona fide cup specialists. The Champions League holders have already added the European Super Cup and Club World Cup titles to their trophy haul this term.

Covid-19, injuries and inconsistency have blighted their league ambitions but the Blues’ abilities in cup competitions stem from a miserly tactical blueprint that so often squeezes opponents.

Liverpool will test that to the extreme on Sunday, but the same was said of Manchester City in last season’s Champions League final, and yet Tuchel’s men still prevailed.

Both encounters this season have proved open, attacking and entertaining contests. Should Sunday’s final follow suit, the Wembley crowd will be treated to a tussle fit to decide the destination of a major trophy.

How to follow

Chelsea vs Liverpool is live on Sky Sports Football from 3.30pm and Sky Sports Main Event from 4pm; kick-off 4.30pm.

Sky Sports customers can watch in-game clips in the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.

Watch all the post-match analysis and interviews on Sky Sports Football, plus read the latest features, pundit and manager reaction on the Sky Sports website and app.

Opta stats

This is the third major final meeting between Chelsea and Liverpool (excl. Community Shields & Super Cups), with the Blues winning on both previous occasions – 3-2 in the 2005 League Cup and 2-1 in the 2012 FA Cup.
This will be the eighth League Cup tie between Chelsea and Liverpool, with the Blues coming out on top in four of the previous seven, including the only previous final in the competition between the two clubs in 2005.
Chelsea will be the first team in English football history to compete in one of the major domestic cup finals (League Cup/FA Cup) in six consecutive campaigns, reaching the FA Cup final in 2016-17, 2017-18, 2019-20 and 2020-21, and the League Cup final in 2018-19 and this term.
Chelsea have finished as runners up in each of their last three major domestic cup finals (2019 League Cup, 2020 & 2021 FA Cup). In English football history, only Newcastle United and Aston Villa have ever failed to win four consecutive final appearances in the two competitions, with no side ever doing so in consecutive seasons.
Liverpool have failed to take home the trophy in either of their last two domestic cup final matches (FA Cup & League Cup), losing the 2012 FA Cup final against Chelsea, and the 2016 League Cup final on penalties against Manchester City. The Reds have never failed to win three consecutive major domestic cup finals before.
Excluding Premier League games, Liverpool are winless in their last five matches at Wembley, losing two and drawing three – with all three draws also seeing the Reds go on to lose on penalties (2016 League Cup final, 2019 and 2020 Community Shields). This is the club’s longest ever run of games at the ground as a neutral venue without winning.
Chelsea have kept a clean sheet in each of their last three League Cup matches – the quarter-final against Brentford and both semi-finals legs versus Tottenham – with the Blues never keeping a clean sheet in four consecutive games in the competition. Indeed, in League Cup history, the only finalist ever to keep a clean sheet in every one of their matches in that season’s quarter-finals, semi-finals and final were Swansea City in 2012-13.

Carabao Cup final on Sky: Which German tactician will prevail?
Source: Healthy Lifestyle

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