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Chelsea vs Liverpool preview
And then there were two. With the Premier League season now gearing up for an exciting end, fans will witness the first competition winner as Liverpool and Chelsea square off in the Carabao Cup Final. The two teams have had contrasting seasons but now find themselves one step away from silverware.
The Reds this season have outperformed every expectation, with manager Jurge Klopp carrying what can be called Liverpool 2.0. On top of that, he has announced his departure from the club at the end of the season, giving his players more impetus to give him a proper send-off. Winning the EFL Cup could be the first step in that direction.
Liverpool are also involved in a hotly contested Premier League title race with defending champions Manchester City and Arsenal, and a win in the EFL Cup final could prove to be a massive boost for their aspirations. Despite failing to land several of their preferred transfer targets, the team has performed admirably. The key reason for this has been the form of new signings such as Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Wataru Endo, along with promoted youth team stars such as Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, and Jarell Quansah.
On the other hand, Chelsea have had a season to forget, with the club currently 10th in the league table. This despite them spending over £1 billion in the last year. Injuries have been the main enemy of the team, with manager Mauricio Pochetinoo unable to find a fixed set of players who can play week in and week out.
However, the club have been given a far more forgiving eun in the EFL Cup, allowing them to go all the way to the final. They also recently put in a spirited performance to earn a draw against Manchester City at the Etihad.
Despite being a great result, the draw does not prove that Chelsea have managed to turn their season around and still need to put in more commendable performances if they are to salvage anything from their abysmal season.
Chelsea vs Liverpool predicted lineups
Chelsea lineup
While the situation has improved drastically, Chelsea are still without Thiago Silva, Benoit Badiashile, Reece James, Romeo Lavia, Marc Cucurella, Lesley Ugochukwu, Carney Chukwuemeka, Wesley Fofana, and Robert Sanchez. This has been the top challenge for Pochetinno, who has to fight with one hand tied behind his back.
However, with the return of players such as Christopher Nkunku Chelsea are now more strengthened. Pochettino is most likely to field the same squad that played against City.
Chelsea starting XI: Petrovic; Chillwell, Colwill, Disasi, Gusto; Fernandez, Caicedo; Sterling, Gallagher, Palmer; Jackson
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Liverpool lineup
Liverpool have their own extensive injury list although not as long as their EFL Cup final opponents. Currently, they are without Stefan Bajcetic, Joel Matip, Ben Doak, Thiago Alcantara, Dominik Szoboszlai, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Alisson Becker. However, Szoboszlai, Trent, and Alisson are in a race to be FIT in time for the game.
However, Klopp has a good squad depth that allows him to rotate his squad without a significant drop in quality. The big story could be a first major final for shot stopper Kelleher if Alisson fails to be fit for the game.
Liverpool starting XI: Kelleher; Robertson, Konate, Van Dijk, Alexander Arnold; Mac Allister, Endo, Jones; Diaz, Nunez, Salah
Chelsea vs Liverpool predictions
The EFL Cup final over the years has given us some highly entertaining games. And with the quality that both teams possess, we can expect this final to be no different. The two teams last met at the start of the month, where Klopp’s men tore through their opponents and ran out 4-1 winners.
It reminded us of the gulf in the two teams’ strategy, form, and class. However, since then, the Blues have recovered a little. Also, the club has a great history in one-off final games against heavy favorites teams (2013 and 2021 Champions League finals being a case in point).
However, Klopp’s Liverpool have been near perfect and likely to win the trophy.
FootTheBall predicts a 3-1 win for Liverpool.
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