Let’s hear it for the boys
Liverpool’s youngsters, and a heady play from their captain, inspired a memorable triumph.
This was a victory forged in the Liverpool suburb of Kirkby. A victory that is right up with manager Jurgen Klopp’s greatest achievements.
It was won with just two minutes of extra time to go, with Virgil van Dijk heading home from a corner, but it owed everything to the grit, determination and courage shown by the Liverpool manager.
The English League Cup may be the fourth of Liverpool’s four priorities this season but how sweet this 1-0 win at Wembley Stadium in London yesterday will feel given the trying circumstances and given the opposition, Chelsea.
Kirkby is where Liverpool’s academy is based and by the end Klopp had turned to the club’s kids to try and see them over the line. They responded magnificently.
In a sense he had little choice, given the horrific, challenging injury list he faced but the manager was brave enough to do it and they responded.
For the fourth time in 4½ years, a final between these two clubs went to extra-time but this time it did not go to a penalty shootout. Van Dijk, Liverpool’s captain, ensured that.
Liverpool ended with, arguably, only three, and maybe even just two – van Dijk and Wataru Endo – first-choice players on the pitch.
By the final whistle it was like watching their under-21s with three teenagers out there as they rallied impressively. The difference in the transfer fees? Chelsea’s XI cost £521 million (NZ$1.06 billion), Liverpool’s £163 million (NZ$333.5 million) with half of that on Van Dijk. He proved priceless.
Both sides also had ‘goals’ disallowed after VAR checks for offside calls, both sides struck the post – Liverpool twice – both sides had a host of chances although the clearest were created by Chelsea.
Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher saved well from Conor Gallagher having earlier brilliantly denied Raheem Sterling. In injury time he also repelled efforts from Cole Palmer and substitute Christopher Nkunku as Chelsea undeniably finished the strongest with Axel Disasi also wasteful.
Even so Liverpool were left furious after an earlier van Dijk header was ruled out, with Endo having blocked off Levi Colwill after coming back from an offside position. The argument? Consistency. It may have been an offence but it was one that is not normally recognised.
There was even more anger as Moises Caicedo went unpunished for a nasty challenge on Ryan Gravenberch with the midfielder leaving on a stretcher with an ankle injury.
It was deemed reckless rather than serious foul play by VAR John Brooks and added to Liverpool’s horrifically lengthy list and, by the end, Klopp was forced to use more and more youngsters. Luis Diaz and Harvey Elliott stayed on but could barely run.
Even so Elliott almost won it deep in extra-time only for his header to come back off the post with goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic clinging onto the rebound, on the line.
But van Dijk made sure with the next chance.