Chelsea vs Liverpool
England – Carabao Cup
Date: Sunday, 27 February 2022
Kick-off at 16:30 UK/ 17:30 CET
Venue: Wembley Stadium.
When Chelsea takes on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, they will be seeking to win their third trophy of the season.
When Chelsea and Liverpool meet in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, the first big prize of the English football season will be on the line.
Chelsea, who have already won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup this season, will be aiming for a third trophy.
The Blues earned their place in the final by defeating Aston Villa and Southampton on penalties in the third and fourth rounds, respectively, before defeating Brentford in the quarter-finals.
In the two-legged semi-finals, they defeated Tottenham 3-0 on aggregate to advance to the final.
In the meantime, Liverpool breezed past Norwich City and Preston North End in the early stages of their Carabao Cup campaign, but needed penalties to beat Leicester City in the quarter-finals.
The Reds then defeated Arsenal 2-0 over two legs in the semi-finals to set up a meeting with Chelsea at Wembley.
A quadruple remains possible for Jurgen Klopp’s side, who are still alive and well in all four major tournaments.
Chelsea and Liverpool have already met in the Premier League twice, with both games finishing in a tense stalemate.
The Blues have won six consecutive games in all competitions, while Liverpool has won nine consecutive games coming into the Wembley showdown.
The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams ahead of Sunday’s big showdown.
Chelsea vs Liverpool Head to head :
- The last two clashes had ended in draws.
- The last four overall wins were evenly split into two each for either squad.
- Three of the past four meetings had fewer than three goals.
- The latest match-up between the two squads had ended in a 2-2 draw.
Chelsea vs Liverpool Prediction :
Given Chelsea’s and Liverpool’s respective momentum leading into the game, this is a difficult game to predict.
The Blues have won six straight games and have gone unblemished since the holidays.
Meanwhile, the Reds have won nine games in a row, and confidence will be high following their 6-0 demolition of Leeds United.
Chelsea, on the other hand, haven’t been completely convincing on a number of times.
At the same time, there are off-field issues to cope with as a result of owner Roman Abramovich’s decision to leave the club.
But, under Tuchel, they have again demonstrated their pedigree in the most important of games, winning three trophies to date and chasing a fourth.
Liverpool, on the other hand, has struggled at Wembley in the past under Klopp, as the German referred to in the buildup to the match.
However, considering their present form, with Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, and Luis Diaz all blazing on all cylinders, the Merseysiders may have the slightest of advantages on Sunday, which is why The Hard Tackle forecasts a victory for the Merseysiders.
Chelsea vs Liverpool Team News :
Mason Mount was well enough to start against Lille, giving Chelsea a big fitness boost, especially after Hakim Ziyech was pulled off with an Achilles injury and is regarded doubtful.
Mateo Kovacic was also pulled off with a muscle problem in the Champions League win, but Tuchel is hoping that both he and Ziyech, as well as Callum Hudson-Odoi, will be able to play in some way on Sunday.
Ben Chilwell might thus be the Blues’ lone absence in the final, with Tuchel suggesting that Reece James may be well enough to make the squad, but it would be surprising to see him play.
Tuchel will have to make significant decisions in all areas of the field, although Kepa Arrizabalaga will be anxious to start in goal, while Kai Havertz might lead the line ahead of Romelu Lukaku once more.
Diogo Jota is fighting to be fit for the final after suffering an ankle injury in the Champions League against Inter Milan, while Roberto Firmino will be missing.
Apart from his two centre-forwards, Klopp has no further concerns, and with Jota likely to be relegated to the bench, Mane and Salah should once again join Luis Diaz in the final third.
Caoimhin Kelleher will be the last line of defense at Wembley, where Jordan Henderson is expected to return to an otherwise settled Liverpool XI, according to Klopp.
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Kepa; Christensen, Silva, Rudiger; Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kante, Alonso; Mount, Pulisic; Havertz
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago; Salah, Mane, Diaz
