TEENAGE KICKS
Boy’s Own story as Klopp snatches Wembley glory
LIVERPOOL got their teenage kicks at Wembley to win the Carabao Cup – and leave a crushed Mauricio Pochettino still waiting for his first trophy in English football.
In a remarkable game, Virgil van Dijk headed the winner in extra time to become Liverpool’s oldest-ever scorer in a Wembley final at the age of 32.
But this incredible triumph was more about the new than the old.
Because somehow Liverpool managed to beat Chelsea with three teenagers finishing the game who had made just 15 appearances between them.
The most in a final since Arsenal back in 2007.
One of them, Jayden Danns, only made his debut last week, while Liverpool also ended the clash with two more aged just 20.
Who was it who said that you don’t win anything with kids?
And the irony will not be lost on Chelsea, who ultimately paid the price for some schoolboy finishing to leave Pochettino crestfallen.
The Blues have now lost their last six domestic finals, while Pochettino’s wait for silverware on these shores goes on and on.
Liverpool would have started this game as favourites to land the first domestic trophy of the season.
But the news that Mo Salah (inset) and Darwin Nunez were both out injured felt like tipping the balance towards Chelsea.
The absence of the influential duo meant Jurgen Klopp had 10 stars missing on the sidelines.
But Liverpool started better with Alexis Mac Allister stinging the palms of Djordje Petrovic, who also got down sharply to keep out a powerful drive from Luis Diaz.
Chelsea’s first big chance came on 20 minutes when Cole Palmer blew a golden opportunity to fire his side ahead.
The outstanding Caoimhin Kelleher produced a stunning save but Palmer should have scored.
Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo was lucky to escape at least a booking after stamping on the ankle of Ryan Gravenberch, who had to be stretchered off.
Klopp was seething on the sidelines, although his mood improved moments later when Raheem Sterling’s goal was ruled out by VAR for Nicolas Jackson being what had to be a whisker offside in the build-up.
And it then took a great sliding challenge from Andy Robertson to prevent Palmer from breaking the stalemate before half-time.
The game was becoming helter-skelter and Cody Gakpo hit the post at the opposite end with a header from Robertson’s cross.
Conor Gallagher then got back to produce a goal-saving block and deny Conor Bradley. Another huge chance came and went when Gallagher burst into the box and teed up Enzo Fernandez, but he tried to backheel the ball past Kelleher and made a pig’s ear of it. Van Dijk had a goal ruled out for reasons beyond most people after an agonising VAR review, while Axel Disasi and Gakpo both wasted glorious chances. Gallagher swept a shot onto the post, fired just wide and was denied by Kelleher with just the goalkeeper to beat.
The game was destined to finish goalless, just like the two domestic finals these rivals played in 2022.
Then history repeated itself – just without the penalties this time – as Liverpool emerged the winners thanks to Van Dijk’s 118th-minute header to reward Klopp’s bravery in throwing on his youngsters with his seventh trophy as Anfield boss. He has another three more to go for and the quadruple is still on, in what could be a fairy-tale farewell for the German.