Match Preview: Liverpool v Chelsea

Liverpool heads into the Carabao Cup final tonight to take on Chelsea. The Reds are in fine form across all competitions, having hammered Leeds by 6 goals in their last game.

Klopp’s men beat Arsenal 2-0 on the aggregate in the League Cup semi final to play this final. On the other hand, Chelsea dominated Spurs across both legs in the semi final to qualify for the final.

Chelsea came back from a 2 goal deficit to steal a draw in January in the league against the Reds

Liverpool have become used to silverware under manager Klopp lately. Of course, a League Cup may not be as shiny as the Premier League UCL trophy, but the Reds will go all guns blazing for it.

The two German masterminds will once again come head to head in this final. While the Reds might be favourites for this game, the last time Liverpool underestimated Chelsea they almost paid dearly for it.

Team News: Liverpool v Chelsea

Jurgen Klopp will have to contend with Brazilian Roberto Firmino being out for this game. His other center forward, Diogo Jota will also be out a major question mark for the final tonight.

The Portuguese forward picked up an ankle injury in the game against Inter Milan and has since been out. Nevertheless, he may still be seen on the bench.

Other than the two forwards, Reds have their whole squad ready for the game. Luiz Diaz, Sadio Mane and Moh Salah are expected to head the forward line.

Predicted Starting XIs: Liverpool v Chelsea

Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago; Salah, Mane, Diaz

Chelsea: Mendy; Christensen, Silva, Rudiger; Azpilicueta, Kovacic, Kante, Alonso; Mount, Pulisic; Havertz

Result Prediction

Liverpool 3 – 1 Chelsea

Chelsea have been unbeaten across all competitions since their PL game against City in mid of January. Still, we expect the Reds to prove to be too much for the Blues to chew.

With Moh Salah and Sadio Mane in form, any backline would be worried. Moh Salah and Mane both bagged a brace midweek, as if in preparation for this final.

Mohamed Salah’s fast begin to life at Liverpool is “terrifying,” says former Anfield star Robbie Fowler.

The forward, who moved to Liverpool for £34.3m from Roma in June, is the Premier League’s second-top scorer with 22 goals, one behind Harry Kane.

Fowler trusts Salah, who has scored 30 times in all competitions this season, will hope to add 10 more goals to his count before the finish of the crusade and says he could help control Liverpool to silverware sooner rather than later.

Talking at a philanthropy occasion for Red Neighbors, which focusses on nourishment destitution and training, Fowler revealed to Sky Sports News: “That is the point of his [to achieve 40 goals], it’s mind-boggling what he’s accomplished up until this point.

“I don’t think anybody could’ve visualized what would’ve happened. I think everybody knew Salah was a decent player, yet to get where he is at speed he’s done – it’s alarming.

“I’m a Liverpool fan, I need Liverpool to score heaps of goals, I need him to score heaps of goals. I need Liverpool to be fruitful and on the off chance that he continues doing that it implies we are on to something entirely great.”

Salah and Kane look set to fight it out for the Golden Boot until the finish of the season, yet Fowler feels the Spurs striker can see for Premier League goalscoring records past this term, saying he could outperform Alan Shearer’s 260 goals pull on the off chance that he stays in England.

“On the off chance that he gets anyplace close to [Shearer’s record], he did strikingly well,” he included. “The exhibitions to date have been extraordinary, and he looks as if he’s a player that can score goals consistently.

“He’s gone past the first year, second-year disorder, yet to get where Alan Shearer is I imply that is intense, it indeed is. You depend on him to remain in the Premier League [to break the record]. I’m sure Tottenham wouldn’t enable him to go to another Premier League club, they wouldn’t need him to leave the full stop.

“I believe that is the place it lies, on the off chance that he remains at Tottenham in the Premier League he has a decent shot since he has a lot of good goals in him.”