Tiktekno, summary of today's events in sports, 25.2/Sport1
It is admittedly only the third most important title, but the League Cup final brings together at this time two clubs that are hungry for this title, and very much so.
Liverpool, who of course aspires higher, wants to make the year of farewell to Jurgen Klopp particularly festive and would like the German coach to lift at least one trophy at Wembley before he leaves, while Chelsea is looking for a title that will console the club after the series of disappointments it has experienced in recent times, despite the huge investment in the squad.
The only one of Klopp's regular front trio to start.
Dias/Reuters
So hoist number 10 of record winning Liverpool or a sixth title for Chelsea?
We will get the answer to this tonight at Wembley Stadium, where both teams will recreate the 2022 final in the third most important venue in England.
Two years ago, it was the Reds who won after a long penalty shootout, in which all the field players scored, until goalkeeper Coffee, who entered in the 119th minute, kicked a penalty over the crossbar and opposite his counterpart Quibin Kelleher decided.
Kelleher is also today in goal for the Mighty Reds, who again showed up with a missing squad, among others without goalkeeper Alison, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Domonic Soboslai, Thiago Alcantara, Curtis Jones, Diogo Jota, as well as Mohamed Salah and Derwin Nunes.
This means that Connor Bradley once again came up as a right-back, Ryan Harafenbrech in midfield and in attack Luis Dias, Harvey Elliott and Cody Gakpo.
On the Chelsea side, Mauricio Pochettino continued with the same 11 that in the last game ended in a 1:1 against Manchester City.
The injured Thiago Silva still hasn't returned and in the center of defense, Leway Colville has stepped up again, Raheem Sterling and Nicholas Jackson lead the front together with Cole Palmer.
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A huge save.
Kelleher stops Palmer/Reuters
the progress of the game
9th minute: Liverpool are better at the start and are also the first to threaten the goal.
Dias lifted into the box and found Gakpo, who went up for a shot, but barely reached the ball and hit an arcing shot that did not endanger Petrovic between the posts.
13th minute: Gusto kicked from the air from about 18 meters, the ball jumped into the hands of Kelleher who was there and caught.
14th minute: It's Liverpool's turn to try to score from a distance.
McAllister kicked about 20 meters from the center of the goal and Petrovic caught.
After a few seconds of opportunity Disasi slipped near the box and Dias should have scored from outside the box, but Petrovic was again on the spot and provided an excellent save.
Another injured to Liverpool's long list.
Harafenbarch/GettyImages
20th minute: What a save by Kelleher!
Palmer found himself in front of the goal inside the five-yard box and fired a strong shot into the goal, Kelleher with a fantastic leap found a certain goal.
27th minute: Another injury to Liverpool, this time it's Harafenbrech who was hit by a tackle by Caicedo, was taken away on a stretcher and was replaced by Joe Gomez who took the right back position, Elliott went to midfield and Bradley was shifted to the front.
40th minute: Gakpo hits the crossbar.
Another attack came from Dias, the Colombian to Robertson who lifted a perfect ball to the head of Gakpo, who hit a ball that beat Petrovic but hit the crossbar and didn't go in.
45th minute: Liverpool increase the tempo and should have scored, but Dias more than cheered for Bradley who was stopped by Colville from a winking position.
More on the same topic:
Liverpool
Chelsea