Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool (AET) – Carabao Cup final: Live score and updates as Virgil van Dijk…

I’m probably one of his biggest fans. I have always said he’s world class and he stepped up again today. It’s good to see, and he is a good goalkeeper.

(On the quadruple) – It’s almost impossible. Nobody has done it. We only focus on the game ahead. Premier League will be difficult, in the FA Cup we play Southampton on Wednesday. We have to enjoy the football and try to stay fit. That’s important.

Van Dijk has been speaking again after lifting the trophy.

Here’s what he had to say to Sky Sports.

(On lifting the trophy) – It feels amazing. An amazing evening. It was very tough but we got the job done and I’m so proud of the team.

(On Liverpool’s youngsters stepping up) – When you’re young and you get an opportunity, you have to grab it with both hands but the guys did it. The coach at the club makes them do it as well and it’s good to see. I said it many times, it’s just a start for them and they should use it to kick on and i’m sure they will. They should just keep pushing and trying to be part of the team. To experience this at 17,18,19 is only beneficial

That’s the 10th time Liverpool have won the League Cup over the years in all its iterations (Carling, Worthington, Milk, Carabao etc.).

It’s also the third successive time they’ve beaten Chelsea in a domestic cup final.

You have to feel for the Blues, but football is a cruel game.

The Liverpool fans are now being serenaded by their fans to You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Van Dijk’s goal was the latest winner since Brian Little’s for Aston Villa in the 1977 League Cup final.

Could the quadruple be on?

You have to say Liverpool are favourites for the Europa League, top of the Premier League and face Southampton at home on Wednesday for a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Football is not as simple as that obviously, but what a goodbye that would be from Jurgen Klopp.

Finally we had someone to break the deadlock in a final between Chelsea and Liverpool.

What a moment for Van Dijk, who has been named as Player of the Match.

There’s a real joy on the faces of all these Liverpool players and Jurgen Klopp as they make their way back onto the pitch.

Having ended the game so well and having put Liverpool under so much pressure, that really does feel like a missed opportunity for Chelsea.

But they just dropped off in extra time as Liverpool’s youngsters bgan to control the game.

Nothing like winning a trophy to help cure an injury!

Liverpool’s players look absolutely buzzing and you can understand why.

That is a simply superb achievement and they’re about to lift the trophy on the Wembley balcony now!

Agony to ecstasy, with Chelsea just picking up their runners-up medals and they look understandably gutted.

There’s a reason they call it the longest walk in football!

Liverpool are basking in their glory back on the pitch and Klopp is making the most of every moment.

Who knows, it could be his last ever time at Wembley?

Liverpool’s match-winner has just been speaking to Sky Sports.

Here’s what he had to say:

It means so much. All the young boys, have you seen the extra time, it’s incredible. I’m so proud of the team. Intense game for both sides, they had chances we had chances. It’s amazing. My first trophy as Liverpool captain so let’s enjoy it.

I didn’t want to get injured in the celebrations. It’s emotion, it’s everything and I’m so proud of the boys. All the young boys playing their part in what we achieved today, it’s incredible and onto more.

What a performance from Liverpool!

The character they showed in the face of adversity and a frankly ridiculously long injury list to come through and win that is special.

They were brilliant in extra time and Van Dijk was the match-winner after having a goal disallowed in normal time by VAR.

Chelsea’s players look gutted and they had chances, with Kelleher making two fantastic saves, while Sterling had a goal ruled out and Gallagher also hit the post.

That’s the 10th time Liverpool have lifted the League Cup and you can be sure they’ll be partying long into the night back on Merseyside.

Palmer lashes out at Clark with a petulant kick and is rightfully booked.

Chelsea have completely shrunk in extra time here and this will be such a missed opportunity for them.

Gomez is then booked for delaying the restart.

What a moment for Liverpool and Van Dijk!

He has been world class today!

Can Liverpool hold on?!!!

The celebrations after that goal were emphatic and Liverpool fans are bouncing.

Van Dijk is the man again and half of Wembley erupts.

Clark wins a corner and Tsimikas whips in a delightful ball.

Van Dijk runs off Diasi and beats Mudryk at the front post and connects perfectly, powering his header into the far conrer.

Absolutely sensational from Liverpool and Van Dijk deserves that, he has been immense today.

Tsimikas finds Elliott at the back post and he heads at goal, but Petrovic makes a stunning stop to somehow keep it out.

The ball drops yards from goal, but the Chelsea stopper jumps on the loose ball, with Danns closing in.

Palmer then fires one on the half volley up the other end, but it’s right down Kelleher’s throat.

Madueke is the latest player to be denied by Kelleher.

Chelsea are seemingly happy to let Liverpool have the ball but they are intent to counter quickly when they get the chance.

They do so again, and the move ends with Madueke firing at goal, but the Reds stopper collects at the second attempt after a slight deflection of Van Dijk.

Chalobah is now on for Chilwell. A sub with an eye on penalties? Or just a chance to freshen up legs.

Chalobah is Chelsea’s only player today who featured in the 2022 Carabao Cup final.

Chelsea break away and McConnell pulls Palmer back to pick up a cynical, but sensible yellow card.

That was experienced play from the 19-year-old.

Quansah is on for Konate, who looks exhausted.

But the Frenchman was brilliant again today.

Quansah, 21, is on in his place and brings the average age down even further.

Liverpool were the better side there and they’ve really stepped up in the face of adversity.

Clark and McConnell have been so impressive in midfield, with Danns causing problems up-front, amid several tired legs around them.

Chelsea have belatedly come alive in extra time.

But Van Dijk makes two big clearances. He’s been an absolute colossus at the back today and is so unfortunate not to have already won the game for his side.

Chelsea try to work a corner to the back post, but it results in a simple collection for Kelleher after a Gusto shot.

Chelsea are going through another one of these weird mid-game periods, where they’ve completely dropped off.

We saw it at the start of the game, towards the end of the first half and at the beginning of the second period, but the Blues ended normal time right on top.

Liverpool are all over them and Diaz finds Elliott at the back post but he snatches at it and scuffs his effort into the side netting.

The Red half of Wembley thought that was in!

Clark, McConnell and Danns look really bright and it just reminds you what an effort this has been from Liverpool to still be in this given their lengthy list of absentees.

Gallagher is then replaced by Madueke which is a surprise, but it looks like he is actually limping.

He’s been everywhere today, but has almost missed some big chances!

Liverpool start the first half of extra tme well and win a corner.

The ball comes back out and is crossed in. Van Dijk wins his header at the back post and nods it across.

Danns is there and heads at goal but Petrovic does well to parry his effort over the bar.

This has been a good period for the Reds’ youngsters to get some good touches of the ball and they look bright, with Danns as the central striker causing Disasi a few problems.

We couldn’t be seeing a repeat of the penalty shootout that followed the 2022 final could we?

30 more minutes to go first!

Meanwhile, Liverpool fans have been hailing their thoroughly depleted side for the first 90 minutes.

Liverpool heroically keep it out again and I don’t know how Chelsea haven’t scored.

Nkunku is in, but Konate makes a brilliant block, Palmer fires at goal but Kelleher is there, Gomez then makes a block before Kelleher makes a second save.

Agonizing for both sets of fans but it’s still SOMEHOW level!

Just to highlight how stretched Liverpool are, Chelsea bring on Mudryk, an £80m signing, in response.

He replaces Jackson and it looks like Nkunku will go up front with the Ukrainian heading out to the left.

Six minutes of added time to come!

Is Kelleher the best No 2 in the Premier League?

Chelsea break forward and have acres of space.

Palmer picks out Gallagher perfectly. He’s bearing down on goal, but Kelleher stays big and makes another HUGE save.

Jackson then gets in behind again and plays it back to Gallagher, but he fires over the bar.

A triple sub for Liverpool now and what an opportunity for these youngsters.

Tsmikas, Danns and McConnell are on for Robertson, Gakpo and Mac Allister.

An incredible gesture of faith from Jurgen Klopp in his youngsters.

Some big challenges are flying in now.

Konate is the next go go into the book as he does well to stop a Chelsea break with a challenge, but it hit his hand in the process.

We’re into the last embers of the game now.

This game is there for the taking.

Liverpool create a good opening again, and the ball reaches Gomez.

The defender, who is yet to score in 208 Liverpool games, doesn’t break that unwanted record as he fires straight at Petrovic.

Mac Allister is then booked for a late challenge on his old Brighton team-mate Caicedo.

This ball just doesn’t want to go in!

Chelsea now attack and Palmer fires in a low cross.

Gallagher finds space between Van Dijk and Konate and he tries to flick on the ball.

He connects perfectly but it cannons back off the post again.

The Chelsea midfielder has been making some really good runs today.

Liverpool now make another sub as Clark replaces Bradley.

They burst forward again but Nkunku is there to clear, before Clark wins a corner.

This game is really end-to-end as we enter the final 15 minutes.

And Chelsea are almost ahead!

They win a corner and Gallagher whips it in.

Jackson heads it on and Disasi gets it all wrong. He’s just a few yards out, but it hits the defender on the knee and baloons up.

At the other end, Gakpo then fires over after a great run form Diaz.

That is a call that will be debated long into the night if Liverpool fail to win.

Chelsea fans have found their voice again and Pochettino has made his first sub.

Nkunku is on for Sterling, who is booed off the pitch by Liverpool supporters.

That’s a huge call. I don’t think Colwill would have got there at all, but Endo did stop him from coming back and he was offside.

But was he interferring with play? If Endo had blocked Chilwell – who was marking Van Dijk – that would have made more sense.

A harsh call, but one Liverpool will have to live with and a huge boost for Chelsea.

There’s a check for offside.

Van Dijk held off Chilwell, but as the set piece came in, Endo blocked Chilwell after coming back from an offside positon.

Mac Allister is fouled by Gallagher and wins a free kick.

The Reds have been a bit wasteful with set pieces today but not this time!

Robertson floats in a delightful ball towards the back post, Van Dijk holds off Chilwell and heads it past Petrovic.

The red half of Wembley erupts!

One thing Liverpool are slightly lacking today with their availability issues is pace in behind, with the Reds having to be extremely patient in possession.

They work it well this time before Elliott fires one on the volley and into the ground but Petrovic punches it away.

Diaz then combines with Mac Allister before he fires over from distance.

It’s been an open start to the half.

Chelsea break after Bradley loses the ball.

Jackson does well to run the channel again and he feeds in Gallagher.

The midfielder finds Fernandez but the Argentine attempts a backheel and gets it all wrong when Palmer was free in the box.

A big chance and a warning for Liverpool in terms of how quickly they were cut open there.

Diaz gets in down the left and forces a corner within 30 seconds of the second half getting underway.

Chelsea just about clear the ball, and Liverpool can’t quite get an opening before Endo fires wide with a fierce effort.

We’re back underway as Chelsea get us going.

A huge 45 mintues ahead…

It most certainly is a very young bench, but with that Gravenberch injury they’re going to have to play a part today.

It’s also got me feeling very old when you look at what year all of Liverpool’s subs were born in.

Very promising for the future of the club though.

Liverpool have probably had more of the play in that first half, but the bigger chances have fallen to Chelsea.

And I still can’t quite get over how good a save that was from Kelleher.

Sterling perhaps should’ve shot first time, but the ball did bounce perfectly to Palmer.

The follow-up block from Endo on Jackson shouldn’t be underestimated too.

It might be goalless, but it certainly hasn’t been boring.

Liverpool came out firing with Chelsea looking nervous as they put them under some sustained early pressure.

But the Blues had perhaps the biggest chance of the half when Kelleher made a stunning save from Palmer’s effort from just a few yards out.

Gravenberch was then carried off on a stretcher after a poor challenge from Caicedo, who went unpunished.

Sterling had a goal ruled out, with Jackson offisde by the barest of margins, before the Reds grew back into the game as Gakpo hit the post.

It’s all to play for in the second half (and perhaps beyond) though…

The ball goes out for a Chelsea throw in. Chilwell and Bradley have a little tussle before the Blues skipper shoves the youngster in the chest.

Take a look at how close that offside call for Chelsea’s disallowed goal was in the meantime.

Great defenidng from Chelsea!

Diaz breaks away from Fernandez. He lays off Elliott who then plays the ball across the six-yard box.

It bounces back to Diaz who this time lays off Bradley but his effort and then Diaz’s is blocked, before Chelsea eventually clear.

The Reds are coming back into this as six minutes of added time are signalled.

Just as I say that, Liverpool win the ball high up off Disasi again.

Robertson floats a cross to the back post, Gakpo connects and Petrovic is beaten.

But it just clips the post and bounces out, before Chilwell clears.

What a game this is turning out to be!

Chelsea look a lot more settled now.

Gallagher makes a good run inside and is played in by Sterling.

The midfielder pulls it back and Palmer is lining it up, but Robertson does brilliantly to get there first and Kelleher collects.

That injury has changed the whole complexion of the game and the Reds have struggled to find the same fluency of the first 20 mintues.

Pochettino will be much more encouraged by how his side are growing into this.

Chelsea break forward and Palmer has the ball on the right.

He plays a delightful ball with the outside of his foot to Jackson who runs in behind.

The Chelsea forward runs forward and squares to Sterling who taps home, but the linesman has flagged.

There’s a long VAR check though, with it very close whether Konate’s left knee is playing him onside.

But, by the narrowest of margins, Jackson is offside by millimetres.

A great decision by the on-field officials.

After that long stoppage for Gravenberch’s injury we are back underway.

Bradley has shifted up to the right wing, with Gomez coming on at right back and Elliott dropping into the midfielde three.

Chelsea are having more of the ball and look a bit more composed.

Heartbreak for Liverpool and the Dutchman as they rack up another injury!

That was a bad challenge from Caicedo as he caught the midfielder right on on the ankle.

He’s being carried off on the stretcher but let’s hope it’s not too serious.

Gomez is on for Gravenberch, so it will be interesting to see how Liverpool shape up now.

And Klopp is still fuming with referee Chris Kavanagh!

Gravenberch is down after catching one on the ankle from Caicedo.

That’s two bad challenges now from the midfielder and he is perhaps lucky not to get at least a booking.

Klopp is fuming on the touchline and is having to be restrained by Lijnders.

Gravenberch doesn’t look good at all and the stretcher is on. Not good.

Meanwhile, take another look at that save from Kelleher. Simply sublime from the Irish keeper.

Just as I said Chelsea were looking nervous, they break forward.

Gallagher plays in Sterling, but he can’t get his shot away.

The ball bounces up and breaks to Palmer inside the six-yard box, but Kelleher pulls off an unbelievable save and somehow keeps it out, with Endo blocking Jackson’s follow-up.

Brilliant from Liverpool’s No 2.

This has been a frantic and entertaining start to the game.

Liverpool are in again after they win the ball high up the pitch.

Disasi slips as he tries to play the ball out, Gakpo picks it up and lays off Diaz.

The Colombian fires at goal but Petrovic does well to parry it away.

The Blues and particularly their midfield need to gain some composure here.

Chelsea look a bit frantic at the moment.

But they do well on this occasion to bring the ball forward.

Palmer, so often their talisman this season, drives towards goal, but Van Dijk does well to block his ball into Jackson and concede a corner.

Chelsea then win a free kick after Kelleher punches away before the Reds stopper collects Gusto’s shot.

Straight up the other end, a good Liverpool move ends with Petrovic saving well from Mac Allister.

It’s been a good start for Liverpool, with Chelsea looking a little nervous.

Elliott does brilliantly to switch the ball out to Robertson, who is in acres of space.

The Scot floats in a delightful cross but Diaz can’t quite get enough power on his header and Petrovic collects.

Gakpo was in a much better position behind him there, but there was a lack of communication.

Both managers watch on from the dugout in the meantime.

Colwill does well to initially dribble out of defence before he takes a terrible touch and ends up clattering Mac Allister.

The Chelsea defender is lucky to avoid a yellow card there.

The Argentine whips in the ball but the Blues do just about enough before Caicedo then clatters Endo and concedes another free kick in dangerous area.

The ball goes all the way through to Konate at the back post, but he is penalised for handball.

It’s been a quiet start as both sides look to get themselves on the ball and play it about.

Liverpool are lining up with Gakpo down the middle and Diaz and Elliott either side of him.

Meanwhile, Palmer does start on the right, but you’d expect he will have plenty of freedom to go infield as the game progresses.

England boss Gareth Southgate is watching on.

Here we go and it is an incredible atmosphere inside Wembley.

Interesting quotes coming out of Hungary that Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai is not happy at missing out.

He will be a big miss for the Reds today.

Jurgen Klopp has won six trophies as Liverpool boss, three at Chelsea’s expense and another one against Mauricio Pochettino when he was at Tottenham.

You could say the Blues and their boss owe him one today!

The players have just undergone their customary handshakes and the national anthem is being sung, greeted by boos from Liverpool fans.

We are about to get underway!

Pochettino and Klopp have been giving their final words to Sky Sports ahead of kick off.

Here’s what they had to say:

Klopp – Finals are always special. I don’t know if I savour it more or less now. You can never take it for granted. These occasions are very special, to reach something like it is something special. So many teams wanted to be here and we made it. Now we’re here, we should give it a try.

Pochettino – It’s always important to play a final after eight months. This is the first achievement but now I want to win. It’s nice to arrive here, but now it’ about winning.

It’s fair to say Jurgen Klopp has had the better of Mauricio Pochettino over the years.

There’s no better time for the Argentine to turn that record around than today!

Liverpool are strong favourites for this clash given how their season is going compared to Chelsea’s.

But, with their mammoth injury list, plus Chelsea’s improvements in recent weeks, it promises to be an enthralling clash.

Here’s what the stats say thanks to our friends at SOFASCORE.

This is never what you want to see before a cup final.

Hundreds of Liverpool fans have been left stranded outside Wembley due to issues with their digital tickets.

Let’s hope they resolve that soon.

ADAM SHERGOLD has the full story below…

More frustrating injury news for Liverpool at Wembley today.

Trent Alexander-Arnold – who returned from a knee injury earlier this month before suffering a setback – has been pictured at Wembley in a knee brace.

That suggests he’s still some way from a return and looks set to be a huge blow for the Reds in their attempts to compete on all fronts.

It’s a huge blow for Liverpool that Mohamed Salah misses out again with injury after suffering a setback following his return at Brentford last week.

But he’s been pictured out on the pitch and his pressure around his team-mates will surely give them a boost this afternoon.

The Reds are missing 10 first team stars in total today!

It’s been a similarly faultless run for Liverpool, who began their journey in the third round given their involvement in the Europa League.

3rd round: Liverpool 3-1 Leicester

4th round: Bournemouth 1-2 Liverpool

Quarter-finals: Liverpool 5-1 West Ham

Semi-finals: Liverpool 3-2 Fulham (2-1 first leg; 1-1 second leg)

It’s been a long route here for Chelsea since they took on AFC Wimbledon back in August.

Here’s how they made the final and you can catch the highlights from that thumping semi-final second leg victory over Middlesbrough below.

2nd round: Chelsea 2-1 AFC Wimbleodn

3rd round: Chelsea 1-0 Brighton

4th round: Chelsea 2-0 Blackburn Rovers

Quarter-finals: Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle (4-2 pens)

Semi-finals: Chelsea (0) 6 – (1) 2 Middlesbrough (brackets denotes first leg)

Both Virgil van Dijk and Ben Chilwell have just given a quick word to Sky Sports.

Here’s what the captains had to say.

Van Dijk – It will be special. I’m just looking forward to the whole occasion and hopefully we can get job done.

Chilwell – When we won the Champions League it brought us and the fans together so we are just trying to drive home what it would mean to the fans (if we won today).

(On how the players will deal with pressure) We need to translate our help to them as a coaching staff. But then players need to prepare themselves for the atmosphere. You can’t replicate the same stress or feeling at this type of place with 90,000 people. Yesterday we practiced penalties. You cannot replicate that today. The players need to arrive here and show the quality.

(On losing 4-1 to Liverpool last month) We had a very good week to work about the game we played there. We know we need to change things, but we have a different team and it’s going to be the approach and the game will be different because it’s a final. We try and work a lot to put these feelings out and create good feelings. It’s in our confidence to go and start the game with full confidence.

Mauricio Pochettino has just been speaking to Sky Sports.

Here’s what he had to say:

(On the game) The challenge is to come here and be competitive and play in this experience. Liverpool normally in the last five years, they play in lots of finals. But that’s not going to be too big a thing. We must arrive and show personality and character and play football and enjoy playing it.

(On whether Chelsea are underdogs) I think always a final is a final. As coaches we try to play a little bit before the final. They are always difficult to play. If I put myself in the opposite shoe, I would also try to lay the pressure on the other team. Hopefully it will be a great final and of course we can perform and win because for us, it would be an amazing thing to win the title.

And Chelsea are unchanged from their 1-1 draw with Man City last weekend.

Thiago Silva misses out with injury again so Axel Disasi and Levi Colwill will start at centre back.

Keeper Robert Sanchez returns to the bench but Mauricio Pochettino keeps faith with Djordje Petrovic.

We think they’ll line up as follows: (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Colwill, Chilwell; Caicedo, Enzo; Palmer, Gallagher, Sterling; Jackson

The headline news is Salah, Nunez and Szoboszlai all MISS out.

Liverpool’s squad does look stretched, with an extremely young bench full of extremely talented, but raw teenagers.

Here’s how we think Liverpool will line up: (4-3-3) – Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Endo, Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Elliott, Gakpo, Diaz

Both Chelsea and Liverpool have enjoyed decorated histories and lifted multiple trophies over the years, but who has been more successful in the League Cup?

Well, Chelsea have lifted the competition’s trophy (in all its various guises over the years – Milk, Worthington, Carling, Carabao etc.) five times, with the last of these coming in 2014-15.

However, Liverpool have won it on nine occasions and will be desperate to make that 10 today.

Speaking of Liverpool’s lengthening injury list, while we will have to wait until 2PM for confirmation, this could be bad news for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

As the Reds took a pre-match walk around the Wembley pitch on Sunday, Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai – three players we highlighted were doubts – were absent.

The all missed Liverpool’s 4-1 win over Luton on Wednesday and we’ll have to wait and see if they make the final.

Read the full story from DOM HOGAN below…

You have to say Liverpool have done incredibly to keep up the pace in all four competitions despite being hit by an injury list that is growing lengthier by the week.

They could have as many as TEN first team stars out today in what is a huge blow for Jurgen Klopp.

Here’s how their treatment table currently looks.

It’s fair to say Chelsea haven’t had much luck with the Carabao Cup in recent times.

Along with that epic penalty shootout defeat to Liverpool in 2022, they also lost on spot kicks to Man City in 2019.

However, that game is better rememebred for the bizarre moment when Kepa refused to be subbed off.

Perhaps it is a positive for Chelsea fans that Kepa – a seemingly bad luck charm in this competition – won’t be on the pitch today. He’s out on loan at Real Madrid.

Just two years ago, these teams faced off in the Carabao Cup final.

In what you could call a quirk, they also both reached the FA Cup final that season, with Liverpool winning on penalties in both occasions.

In terms of the Carabao Cup though, a competitive 0-0 draw was followed by an epic penalty shootout, with Chelsea keeper Kepa – who has his own chequered relationship with this competition – blazing a decisive penalty over the bar, with the Reds winning 11-10 on spot kicks.

You can relive that dramatic final below (although you perhaps might want to give it a miss if you’re of the Chelsea persuasion!)

Speaking of Mauricio Pochettino’s trophy drought, Mail Sport’s CHRIS SUTTON couldn’t emphasize how important he felt this game was for the Argentine.

Speaking on Mail Sport’s It’s All Kicking Off podcast, the former Premier League winner claimed it was ‘like a World Cup final’ for the Chelsea boss.

He also insisted that despite Liverpool being major favourites for the clash, he believes it is a ’50-50 game’.

You can read his full thoughts below…

Given how highly Mauricio Pochettino is regarded in management, it is often quite a surprise when you remind yourself he’s yet to win a trophy in English football.

The Argentine was close twice during his five-year spell at Tottenham, with Spurs coming runners-up in the League Cup in 2014-15, ironically losing to Chelsea, while they also lost the 2018-19 Champions League final to Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.

He did win Ligue 1 and the French Cup at PSG, but that is seen as a given for the Parisiens.

Pochettino will be desperate to get that monkey off his back today!

Pat Nevin earned legendary status at Chelsea after playing 193 times for the club between 1983 to 1988.

He managed to lift two trophies while with the Blues – the Second Division and Full Members’ Cup – in the days before they were backed by billionaires.

But he seems pretty optimistic for this afternoon and felt Chelsea were actually ahead of where they should be at this stage of the Pochettino project.

You can hear his full thoughts below…

There are few walks as a fan quite as exciting as the stroll up Wembley Way and towards the iconic stadium ahead of watching your team in a final.

We’re still two hours away from kick off, but supporters are already making their way into the ground and the atmosphere is building.

It promises to be an enthralling game.

There will be plenty of talent on show today on the Wembley pitch, given these two teams are giants off English football.

Several stars are likely to miss out through injury (more on that later), but both teams are coached by two top-class managers.

But, how do the players compare when it comes to silverware and experience?

Mail Sport’s TUM BALOGUN takes a look…

What a scintilating match-up we have on our hands today as Liverpool and Chelsea battle it out for the first trophy of the season.

The Reds are looking to get the long farewell to Jurgen Klopp off to the best possible start ahead of his departure in the summer.

They are enjoying a fine campaign and also remain in the running for the Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have had a mixed and chaotic campaign, but recent games suggest they’re starting to turn the corner.

While victory today wouldn’t justify the £1billion transfer spend since Todd Boehly took over the club in May 2022, it feels like it could be a pivotal moment in Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure at the club.

And welcome to Mail Sport’s live coverage of the Carabao Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool.

Stay with us throughout the afternoon for all the build-up, team news and live updates from the showpiece event at Wembley.