VAN THAT NEVER STOPS
Liverpool skipper keeps motoring to the bitter end as he drives his young team-mates to a dramatic last-gasp victory over Poch’s spluttering Blues
VIRGIL VAN DIJK lifted himself to make one last lung-busting run.
The Liverpool captain raced across the penalty box deep into extra time and headed powerfully into the net to delight the sea of red behind him.
Van Dijk is the epitome of a big-game player and once again he delivered in a final to make it a record 10 League Cup wins for Liverpool.
The fact he becomes the oldest player – 32 years and 232 days – to score for Liverpool in a Wembley final says everything about his unbreakable spirit.
Van Dijk was the elder statesman as Liverpool finished the game with three teenagers – Bobby Clark, Jayden Danns and James Mcconnell – plus 21-yearold Jarell Quansah and Harvey Elliott, 20.
But what a damning indictment for Chelsea whose £1billion squad could not beat the injury-hit Reds.
Todd Boehly’s bottle jobs beaten by Liverpool’s kids. Whoever said you could win nothing with kids?
It was also Chelsea’s sixth consecutive defeat in a domestic cup final. And yet this must be the worst of the lot. Liverpool had 10 players missing through injury – Mo Salah and Darwin Nunez had to watch from the dug-out – and how they lifted themselves in extra time is anyone’s guess.
But that is exactly what Liverpool did. They looked dead on their feet at 90 minutes but Van Dijk and Co found a second wind.
Jurgen Klopp (left, with Reds chairman Tom Werner) has to be a big part of it because the long farewell has a chance to become one, long victory parade. One trophy down and they are still in the hunt for three more.
That has to be driving the players and, when you saw Liverpool celebrate with their manager at the end, it has to be a huge motivational force.
Chelsea had so many chances and yet Liverpool wanted it more. That is the harsh reality for boss Mauricio Pochettino, who must somehow reawaken that spirit within Chelsea.
It was Liverpool who kept going even after Van Dijk had another header controversially disallowed by VAR when Endo Wataru was adjudged to have blocked Levi Colwill from the set-piece and he was offside.
That was understandable as it was a technicality. But what was far harder to understand was how on earth VAR did not intervene
after Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo’s X-rated challenge on Ryan Gravenberch.
Gravenberch had to be carried off, taking Liverpool’s casualty list up to 11 missing first-team players.
But Chelsea never took full advantage. And whereas the previous finals between these two clubs – Liverpool won both domestic cups after beating Chelsea in 2022 – were dull and boring, this one was gripping and exciting until the bitter end.
Chelsea had the ball in the net through Raheem Sterling but VAR showed Nicolas Jackson was offside. Then Cody Gakpo headed against the post before Colwill blocked from Conor Bradley.
Liverpool were running themselves ragged. Keeper Caoimhin Kelleher was heroic as he denied Chelsea time and again.
Conor Gallagher was excellent for the Blues but hit the post and was then denied by Kelleher after going clean through.
Kelleher (right, with Van Dijk) saved his best for the dying minutes of normal time and Chelsea will be wondering how on earth Christopher Nkunku and Cole Palmer did not score.
It was all Chelsea. Their extra experience should have told as the game headed into extra time. But money cannot buy heart and spirit. Liverpool had more as Elliott hit the post.
Then when it was heading to yet another shoot-out, Van Dijk saved the day. Kostas Tsimikas’ corner found Van Dijk and his header flashed into the net.
What a moment for Van Dijk. The Liverpool fans were behind that goal. What a moment for them. But best of all for Klopp. What a final chapter this could prove to be.