Chelsea vs Liverpool: Preview | Carabao Cup Final 2024/24

Published by

Jainil Shah

3 months ago

Jurgen Klopp is not on the same page as Gary Neville regarding Chelsea

Chelsea will be facing Liverpool in the League Cup final on Sunday.

Chelsea take on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday. This serves as a massive opportunity for Mauricio Pochettino to win a silverware against a depleted Liverpool side.

Chelsea are undergoing a difficult season, one full of difficulties and inconsistencies. Ending such season with a silverware will serve as a massive boost to their confidence and future transfer prospects.

Liverpool on the other hand are looking at an exceptional season. They are at the top of the Premier League table going into the finals. Liverpool have also qualified for the Round of 16 of Europa League. Jurgen Klopp will be looking to end his tenure at Liverpool on a high and Sunday is the first opportunity at silverware for them.

Chelsea and Liverpool will face off at the prestigious Wembley Stadium on Sunday, 24th February with the game scheduled to kick off at 3:00 PM GMT.

Team News

Silva faces race against time for facing Liverpool and his Wembley hoodoo

Chelsea are hoping for Thiago Silva’s availability for the game. It is hoped he will recover in time for Sunday following a groin injury. Thiago Silva has lost three finals at Wembley.

All of Benoit Badiashile, Romeo Lavia, Reece James, Lesley Ugochukwu, Carney Chukwuemeka, Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana, and Robert Sanchez won’t feature owing to their long-term injuries.

Darwin Nunez is a doubt for Liverpool (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Liverpool will have a couple of late calls to take on injury concerns. Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez did not feature in their midweek game against Luton Town. Should Nunez and Salah not be fit for the game, they will join a long list of players on the sidelines: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Thiago Alcantara, Diogo Jota, Joel Matip, Alisson Becker, Curtis Jones, Stefan Bajcetic and Ben Doak.

Jota suffered a knee injury against Brentford which shall keep him out for some months. Curtis Jones is out with an ankle injury for a few weeks.

TAA is expected in the first week of March. Szoboszlai is the closest of the lot to return from injury. He is expected to be involved again next week. Both of them could be in contention with a very late call by Klopp.

Predicted Lineup

Chelsea predicted lineup vs Liverpool: Petrovic; Chillwell, Colwill, Disasi, Gusto; Fernandez, Caicedo; Sterling, Gallagher, Palmer; Jackson

Liverpool predicted lineup vs Chelsea: Kelleher; Robertson, Konate, Van Dijk, Bradley; Mac Allister, Endo, Gravenberch; Diaz, Gakpo, Salah

Key Stats

Chelsea have not kept a clean sheet for 5 games while Liverpool have failed to do so in the last 7 games.

Key Duels

Enzo Fernandez vs Alexis Mac Allister

Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez of Argentina during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Two Argentine World Cup winners facing one another in a Cup final. Both the players are expected to be central to their team’s tempo. While Endo loves to create a web of passes before pulling that vertical ball into the runners, Alexis is more direct in his approach. This not only sums up how both the teams approach the tactically but also sums up how the midfield go about themselves in-game for both the teams. Chelsea were successful in pulling through balls wide to wingers after escaping the press bait in the midfield against Manchester City and they would be aiming to pull something similar against Liverpool’s gegenpress.

More Chelsea News

Last 5 meetings

Liverpool 4-1 Chelsea (31 Jan 2024 | Premier League)
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool (14 May 2022 | Premier League)
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea (21 Jan 2023 | Premier League)
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool (04 Apr 2023 | Premier League)
Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool (13 Aug 2023 | Premier League)