Virgil van Dijk’s header deep into extra time gave an under-strength Liverpool a remarkable Carabao Cup final win over Chelsea at Wembley.
Liverpool’s 10th triumph in the competition was achieved without a host of injured star names, including forward trio Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota, also losing Ryan Gravenberch when he was taken off on a stretcher after Moises Caicedo’s first-half challenge.
It means Jurgen Klopp’s side have achieved the first part of a potential quadruple in the manager’s farewell season, but it was a bitter blow to Chelsea and manager Mauricio Pochettino.
They have now lost six successive Wembley finals, including three against Liverpool, and wasted a host of opportunities here.
Liverpool were indebted to goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher who produced another outstanding Wembley performance after being the hero when Chelsea were beaten on penalties in the 2022 EFL Cup final.
In a tight first half, he blocked brilliantly from Cole Palmer while Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo saw a header bounce back off the post. Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling also saw a close-range effort ruled out for offside against Nicolas Jackson.
As the chances came thick and fast after the break, Van Dijk thought he had headed Liverpool in front on the hour only for the goal to be contentiously ruled out for offside against Wataru Endo following a lengthy Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervention as the Japan midfielder blocked off Chelsea defender Levi Colwill.
Conor Gallagher was also denied by the woodwork, then once more by the defiant Kelleher as he looked poised to make the breakthrough
And then came that final twist to give Liverpool another Wembley victory over Chelsea and leave Pochettino still seeking his first trophy in England.
It was a victory against all odds and will inject even further confidence into a Liverpool side seemingly on a mission to give Klopp a very special goodbye to Anfield.
Victory here would not only have ensured European football for Chelsea, it would also have provided a measure of calm after recent turbulent seasons – but once again Wembley only brought disappointment.
