Liverpool win Carabao Cup final after extra-time Virgil van Dijk goal vs Chelsea
Liverpool have been crowned the winners of the 2023/24 Carabao Cup after a 1-0 victory over Chelsea in extra time at Wembley on Sunday afternoon.
Starting the competition with home wins over AFC Wimbledon, Brighton & Hove Albion and Blackburn Rovers, the Blues then needed a stoppage-time equaliser and penalties to get the better of Newcastle United in the quarter-finals. Amid their mixed form in the Premier League and an almighty scare in the semi-finals after losing 1-0 away at Championship side Middlesbrough in the first leg, Chelsea blew Michael Carrick's side away 6-1 in the return leg to seal a place at Wembley.
Mauricio Pochettino's first final as Chelsea boss, the Argentine kept faith with team that recorded a point away at Man City eight days earlier. There was to be no place in the matchday squad for Thiago Silva, however, as injury once again kept him on the sidelines.
Liverpool also had their injury woes to contend with for the big match. Already set to be without the likes of Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones for the final, it was confirmed at 2pm that Dominik Szoboszlai, Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez would also be absent following question marks over their fitness going into the final.
Chelsea started the game nervously as Liverpool took the game to them from the off, with Luis Diaz forcing Djordje Petrovic into a low save with 14 minutes on the clock. Despite barely laying a glove on their opponents in the opening exchanges, Cole Palmer brought out a fantastic save from Caoimhin Kelleher after the ball bounced kindly to him just a matter of yards from goal.
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