Wembley Stadium sets the stage for a heavily-anticipated League Cup final between familiar foes Chelsea and Liverpool on Sunday.
More than just bragging rights are on the line for managers Mauricio Pochettino and Jurgen Klopp as the most iconic English venue prepares to crown the new champion.
Reigning holders Manchester United slumped at the second hurdle, with Chelsea and Liverpool fighting for the trophy they’ve lifted 14 times between them.
Where to watch the League Cup final?
Fans in the United Kingdom can watch the showpiece event on Sky Sports, while ESPN+ holds the television rights in the United States.
If you’re residing elsewhere but still want to watch the game, check out our Chelsea and Liverpool live streams.
What do you need to know?
Chelsea
Pochettino’s maiden season in charge of Chelsea has gone sideways from the outset, but the Argentine can salvage some pride by guiding the Blues to their sixth League Cup title.
It’s been nearly a decade since the Stamford Bridge outfit last tasted League Cup glory, beating Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the 2014/15 final.
Ominously for the club’s faithful, both Chelsea’s showpiece appearances since have yielded defeats, including a penalty shoot-out loss to none other than Liverpool in their last attempt in 2021/22.
The Blues were recently on the receiving end of the Reds’ formidable domestic form, slipping to a 4-1 thumping at Anfield in late January, and will be keen to repay the favour this weekend.
Confidence stems from Chelsea’s outrageous performance in the semi-final second leg against Middlesbrough as they overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit with an overwhelming 6-1 triumph at the Bridge.
Liverpool
Conquering a record-extending tenth League Cup trophy would be a fitting gift for Klopp’s swansong season at Anfield, although the club’s primary target is regaining Premier League supremacy.
But one step at a time. The Reds head into the final in a buoyant mood after winning three consecutive league fixtures by 3+ goals ‘to one’ in the wake of a 3-1 humbling at the hands of Arsenal.
Klopp’s troops squeaked past Fulham 3-2 on aggregate to set up their 14th appearance in the League Cup title-deciding contest in which they boast a decent-looking 69% win ratio (W9, L4).
Upholding that record would be a first step towards a historic quadruple as it’s become an attainable target after Liverpool assumed control of the Premier League and finished atop their Europa League group.
All signs point in that direction. Klopp knows in-depth about upsetting Pochettino, having lost just one of their 13 previous managerial battles (W7, D4), reinforcing the Reds’ belief in winning a landmark title.
Form Guide
Chelsea
Chelsea delivered a stoic performance at the Etihad Stadium last weekend, holding perennial Premier League champions Man City to a 1-1 draw.
Though that stalemate knocked them down from a two-game winning streak, there’s no doubt the Blues will enter this clash in high spirits, seeking their first competitive win against Liverpool since March 2021.
Form (all competitions, most recent first): DWWLL
Liverpool
Despite lacking numerous first-team stars, including Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominik Szoboszlai, Liverpool pulled off an impressive comeback on Wednesday.
The Reds overhauled a 1-0 half-time deficit against Luton Town, netting four unanswered second-half goals to post a comprehensive 4-1 victory, their 11th in the last 15 matches (D3, L1).
Form (all competitions, most recent first): WWWLW
Potential Starting Line-ups
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Djordje Petrovic; Malo Gusto, Axel Disasi, Levi Colwill, Ben Chilwell; Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez; Cole Palmer, Conor Gallagher, Raheem Sterling; Nicolas Jackson.
Liverpool (4-3-3): Caoimhin Kelleher; Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson; Ryan Gravenberch, Wataru Endo, Alexis Mac Allister; Harvey Elliott, Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz.
