Thomas Tuchel is eying his fourth trophy with Chelsea as his side takes on Liverpool on Sunday in the final of the Carabao Cup. The Blues have performed immensely well in cup finals lately, notably bagging the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup this season. They are hoping for another silverware, in the form of the EFL Cup this weekend.
However, things won’t be made easier by a Liverpool side enjoying an excellent run of form. The Reds have won all of their last nine matches in all competitions and have managed to bridge the gap at the top of the table to just three points. Jurgen Klopp’s men are also coming on the back of a 6-0 battering of Leeds United, giving them the much-needed momentum heading into this final.
Chelsea vs Liverpool Preview
Talking Tactics
Chelsea
Tuchel hasn’t been shy in reverting to a back four in times of need. However, the German is likely to persist with the three-man backline which will look to remain solid while using the wing-backs to stretch the Liverpool defence. It will be equally important for the attackers to put pressure on the Liverpool centre-backs and prevent them from playing out from deep.
Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp has no reasons to tinker with the 4-3-3 setup that has yielded excellent performances since the turn of the year. The German coach has also shown a lot of flexibility, notably switching to a 4-4-2 against Norwich City and it won’t be surprising to see him utilize an array of tactical alternatives in this final.
Team News
Chelsea
Hakim Ziyech might miss out against Liverpool after picking up a fresh knock. Tuchel, though, is hopeful that both he and Mateo Kovacic will be available, whereas Kepa Arrizabalaga might return in goal, ahead of Edouard Mendy, with this being a cup game.
Liverpool
Klopp may once again have to deal with the absence of Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino, although the latter is nearing his recovery. There could be a start for Jordan Henderson after being rested in the last two matches.
Predicted Lineups
Chelsea: Kepa; Christensen, Silva, Rudiger; Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kante, Alonso; Mount, Pulisic; Havertz
Liverpool: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago; Salah, Mane, Diaz
Prediction
Chelsea 0-2 Liverpool
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