'We'll go for it' - Liverpool aim to complete first leg of quadruple
Pochettino believes that Liverpool has the upper hand in the Carabao Cup final. The final will be played between Chelsea and Liverpool at the prestigious Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday, the 25th of February, with kick-off scheduled for 3 PM GMT. For comprehensive coverage of the game, tune in to live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live or follow live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.
On Sunday, Liverpool will play in the Carabao Cup final hoping to secure the first of what could be four trophies this year. On the other hand, Chelsea are looking to win their first domestic trophy in six years.
This match is a replay of the Carabao and FA Cup finals from 2022. In those games, Liverpool emerged as the victors after penalty shootouts.
The Premier League is currently being led by the Reds with a difference of four points. Additionally, they have managed to secure a position in the Europa League last 16 and are also in the FA Cup fifth round.
Liverpool's second in command, Pep Lijnders, stated that they will make an effort towards their goal.
"This is not just any game. Exceptional games demand remarkable performances, therefore we need to concentrate on delivering our very best performance."
Liverpool supporters are excited for Lijnders and Jurgen Klopp to have a successful farewell as they are planning to leave Anfield this summer. Klopp has been in charge since 2015 and has already led the team to victory in six significant competitions.
Lijnders conveyed that their ideology revolves around imparting happiness and feelings to their supporters. He expressed his satisfaction regarding their ability to offer at least one final for the fans.
Virgil van Dijk, the defender for Liverpool, will be leading the team in a Wembley final for the very first time this coming Sunday. He stated, "We are determined to have an exceptional day and receive our initial trophy for the season."
The conclusion of the season might evoke strong sentiments for many individuals, such as the coach. However, we should not focus too much on the future and instead concentrate on the present situation.
Chelsea's most recent achievement in domestic competitions was their win in the 2018 FA Cup. However, the club has had great success internationally since then, winning a total of four different honours, including their most recent victory in the Club World Cup in February of 2022. Unfortunately, their success wasn't meant to be eternal, and only two weeks after their Club World Cup win, they lost in the 2022 Carabao Cup final to Liverpool.
Stamford Bridge's new boss, Manager Mauricio Pochettino, has the potential to secure his debut victory in England, having previously guided Southampton and Tottenham.
As per the Argentine's statement, reaching the final and taking on a team like Liverpool is of great significance to us, the coaching staff.
We have a dream that we intend to realize. We've been given a chance, and we're going to give it our all. The team appears to be well-prepared, and we anticipate giving a tough competition.
Fitness Tests For Reds' Trio In Doubt
Lijnders has stated that Liverpool, who are currently dealing with a few injuries, will wait as long as possible for three players, namely Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, and Dominik Szoboszlai, to regain their fitness before Sunday's game.
Curtis Jones is now part of the group of players who cannot participate in the upcoming match, along with Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Diogo Jota. As a result, the team will be fielding several lesser-known or younger players during their appearance at Wembley.
According to the coach from the Netherlands, Lijnders, it's important to appreciate what you possess and not focus on what you lack. This outlook has resulted in accomplishments for us previously.
Johan Cruyff once stated that every negative circumstance presents a positive aspect. In this case, we have the opportunity to have our young players who haven't had consistent playing time take the field. This is considered an honorable reflection of our squad and the academy.
In my perspective, the meaning of success lies in expansion. Our primary objective is to enhance the potential of our team by nurturing and refining young players as well as senior members. Triumph is the natural outcome of this strategy.
Liverpool is a team that aims for big wins. Every season, our goal is to compete for those victories and we will put in our best effort to make it happen.
In the beginning of the season, Chelsea and Liverpool tied 1-1 at their home stadium. However, at the end of last month, Chelsea lost 4-1 against Liverpool at Anfield. During this match, Nunez hit the post after being awarded a penalty due to Benoit Badiashile's foul on Diogo Jota.
Pochettino stated that it is crucial that we prioritize fair competition in all of our decisions.
I believe that during our match at Anfield, Liverpool received many favorable decisions and none of the key decisions were in our favor.
The referee did not award two penalties which were deserved, and in the duels or 50/50 situations, the calls were always in favor of the other team and ultimately resulted in red cards. I desire to be treated with impartiality and justice.
