EFL Cup Final: Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool

The EFL Cup Final between Chelsea and Liverpool was a highly anticipated match that lived up to its billing. Both teams came into the game in top form, with Chelsea looking to defend their title and Liverpool aiming to secure their first major trophy under manager Jurgen Klopp.

The game was a tightly contested affair, with both teams creating chances but failing to find the back of the net in the first half. However, it was Liverpool who broke the deadlock in the 55th minute, with Sadio Mane scoring a stunning goal to give his side the lead.

Liverpool entered the final with 10 first-team players, including Mohamed Salah and Darwin Núñez, missing through injury. But roared on by their raucous supporters, they competed bravely to see off Chelsea. 

The win kept Liverpool's hopes of an unlikely quadruple alive and saw them lift the Carabao Cup for a record-extending 10th time.

Chelsea's run to the final had emerged as a silver lining for coach Mauricio Pochettino in what has been a bleak first season in charge of the west London side, but with Sunday's defeat, the former Tottenham boss still has yet to win a trophy in England. 

Liverpool currently leads the Premier League table and is still in contention for the FA Cup and Europa League.

Victory was particularly satisfying for Klopp, given he had to call upon a host of the club's emerging talent in the absence of injured stars like Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Chelsea and Liverpool mustered another 12 shots in extra-time but only Van Dijk’s header from Kostas Tsimikas’ corner yielded the decisive goal.

He fell to the floor and was mobbed by his teammates while Klopp celebrated with staff on the touchlines and fans threw red flares onto the pitch, marking another trophy in Klopp’s time at Liverpool.

It was the first step in the Reds’ mission to win four trophies this season. It currently sits top of the English Premier League, faces Sparta Prague in the last-16 of the Europa League and has a fifth-round tie against Southampton in the FA Cup.

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 Sarah H

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