Today at 16:30pm (GMT), the Carabao Cup Winner will be decided at Wembley Stadium. This cup final showdown is between two of the Premier League’s best teams; Chelsea and Liverpool. Both teams have enjoyed some memorable battles over the years including a 4-4 tie at Stamford Bridge in 2008/09 Champions League Quarterfinal. They have been quite evenly matched this season, with two draws against each other.
Chelsea took the title back in 2015, however it’s been a decade since Liverpool won this cup! World renowned managers Thomas Tuchel and Jurgen Klopp have both been crowned European champions, however neither of them have taken home a cup in English Football. Tonight that will change for one of these managers.
Man City has taken this cup home for the last four years, however this season they were knocked out by West Ham in the fourth round. City took the trophy on penalties from Chelsea in the 2019 final. Chelsea have lifted this cup five times prior, however the Merseyside club are the most successful League Cup team in history having lifted the trophy eight times.
Neither of these teams need to win this trophy, as they both have bigger priorities this season, including the Premier League and Champions League. Obviously, it would always be nice to add this Cup to one of the club’s collections. This could be Chelsea’s chance to gain their third trophy of the year as they have already lifted the Club World Cup and the European Super Cup.
Unfortunately Chelsea is facing a few injuries, which is set to affect their squad for the final. Left-back Ben Chilwell and centre-back Andreas Christensen are certain to be absent, however Reece James, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Mason Mount are hoping to be back on the field for this big match. If Tuchel added this to this trophy streak, it would make this his fourth since joining Chelsea in January 2021.
Could this be Liverpool’s chance to end a 10-year domestic cup drought? Chelsea are in for a good fight as Klopp’s side are in a strong position having won their last nine matches across all competitions. Liverpool aren’t facing many injuries going into the final in comparison to Chelsea. The only injuries are Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota, however Jota could be featured on the bench after recovering from an ankle injury.
It seems Liverpool are the bookmakers’ favourites to win this year’s Carabao Cup. This match will be a repeat of the 2005 final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, where Mourinho won his first trophy as Chelsea manager.
