Virgil van Dijk’s goal in extra time won the Carabao Cup final for Liverpool against Chelsea after he had earlier seen a header disallowed for offside.
The 0-0 scoreline after 90 minutes failed to reflect the drama at Wembley as both sides had goals ruled out — Raheem Sterling for Chelsea and Van Dijk for Liverpool — and plenty of chances on top of that.
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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was furious in the first half as he lost another player to injury, with Ryan Gravenberch being taken off on a stretcher after a late challenge by Moises Caicedo that went unpunished by the referee.
Caoimhin Kelleher made some outstanding saves to deny Cole Palmer and Conor Gallagher, while Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott hit the post with headers for Liverpool, before Van Dijk’s late goal — the 42nd attempt on goal of the match — decided the game as Liverpool won their first trophy in the final season of Klopp’s reign.
The Athletic’s James Pearce, Simon Johnson and Mark Carey analyse the key talking points, including a “technical offside“…
Van Dijk leads by example to lift his first trophy as Liverpool captain
It might sound like an overused phrase, but in the big games, you need your most experienced players to step up.
Van Dijk thought he had already put Liverpool 1-0 up after 60 minutes with a powerful header from a free kick. The “technical offside” ruled that one out — more on that later — but an extra-time glancing header ensured Liverpool’s man-of-the-match clinched the winner.
It was not difficult for Van Dijk to be Liverpool’s most experienced player — he was captaining the least experienced matchday squad Klopp has ever fielded in a cup final.
So many academy players needed to be helped through the game in the second half and extra time, but Van Dijk exuded his typical calmness and composure, which spread to his young team-mates.
Did Liverpool win the game when Virgil van Dijk has scored?
5 Jan 2018 vs Everton – ✅
21 Dec 2018 vs Wolves – ✅
27 Feb 2019 vs Watford – ✅
13 Mar 2019 vs Bayern Munich – ✅
17 Apr 2019 vs Porto – ✅
4 May 2019 vs Newcastle – ✅
9 Aug 2019 vs Norwich – ✅
30 Nov 2019 vs… pic.twitter.com/fgcu2GVxYJ— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) February 25, 2024
As a competition, the League Cup has regularly been scoffed at by some fans, but it represents an important landmark in Van Dijk’s career as he lifts his first trophy as Liverpool’s captain.
Mark Carey
Chelsea blew a golden opportunity for silverware
This was a wasted chance for Chelsea to win their first trophy under their owners.
Liverpool have become Chelsea’s nemesis in major finals in recent years — beating them on penalties in the UEFA Super Cup (2019), Carabao Cup final (2022) and FA Cup final (2022) — but, due to injuries, this was the weakest Liverpool team Chelsea have ever faced.
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Yes, Mauricio Pochettino’s side have been hampered by absences too, but this was a Klopp side rendered almost unrecognisable because there were so many youngsters filling in, particularly as substitutes.
Whoever was going to be on the losing side would wonder why they lost it, but Pochettino could call on players for whom the club have paid millions and they fluffed their lines.
Gallagher will have trouble forgetting a few of his chances, including the effort that came off the post. He was not the only guilty party, yet Chelsea were denied by a combination of poor finishing and good saves from Kelleher, Liverpool’s goalkeeper.
This will be a hard defeat to recover from mentally and physically and, to make matters worse, they face a refreshed Leeds United side on Wednesday night in the fifth round of the FA Cup, their last hope of winning silverware this season.
Simon Johnson
Kelleher’s string of superb saves
Liverpool stood firm last summer and again in January when clubs came calling for Kelleher.
A £15million ($19m at today’s rates) bid from Nottingham Forest was among the offers snubbed, with Klopp unwilling to weaken his goalkeeping department. It proved to be a wise move.
Understudies don’t come much better than Kelleher and he showcased that fact once again on the big stage at Wembley.
Kelleher, a Republic of Ireland international, has a close bond with this competition after his heroics in the final two years ago when he hammered home the decisive penalty in the shootout victory over Chelsea.
Kelleher would have started this showpiece occasion even if Alisson had not pulled his hamstring in training. Composed, brave, athletic and blessed with lightning-quick reflexes, he came to Liverpool’s rescue at pivotal stages of the game.
Palmer looked destined to score in the first half, but Kelleher pulled off a miraculous save. In the second half, there was a smile of relief from Kelleher when Axel Disasi somehow failed to convert from two yards and the goalkeeper gratefully grabbed the ball from under the bar.
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However, there was nothing fortunate about how he expertly thwarted Gallagher soon after, rushing off his line to narrow the angle and make a crucial block. Malo Gusto was also denied late on by Kelleher.
He deserved to be a Wembley winner again as much as anyone.
James Pearce
Endo’s blocking and the ‘technical offside’
It was a clear tactic from the first Liverpool set piece.
As Andy Robertson stood over the ball to take a free kick on the right flank, Wataru Endo was standing in an offside position. His job? To act as a blocker to allow one of Van Dijk or Ibrahima Konate to have a clear run at goal.
This happened multiple times in the first half, but to no avail, as Chelsea dealt with each delivery. However, in the 60th minute, there was another opportunity — a wide free kick… with Endo in an offside position. This time, his block was successful in stopping Levi Colwill from tracking Van Dijk, as Liverpool’s captain ran clear for a free header to put Liverpool one goal up.
Or so they thought.
The VAR deemed Endo’s block to be a “technical offside” — making an obvious action that has an impact on the ability of an opponent to play the ball — with Colwill unable to track Van Dijk’s run. It was a tactic on show multiple times from Liverpool’s attacking routines. In theory, it did work for them, but Law 12 had other ideas.
For Endo, his day was ultimately themed on blocking after a last-ditch challenge in the first half prevented Raheem Sterling from putting Chelsea 1-0 up.
One was crucial in saving a goal and another was close in helping to score one. A combative day for Endo at both ends of the pitch.
Mark Carey
What happened to Gravenberch?
Klopp couldn’t contain his fury with the officials.
The sight of Gravenberch leaving the pitch on a stretcher midway through the first half was difficult enough for him to stomach — but the fact Caicedo escaped punishment for the challenge that left the Dutch midfielder writhing in agony rubbed salt into the wounds. It was late from Caicedo as his studs caught Gravenberch’s left ankle and Chris Kavanagh appeared to be playing an advantage for Liverpool.
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However, the referee didn’t book Caicedo or pull play back for a free kick. While Gravenberch was undergoing treatment, the VAR, John Brooks, ruled it wasn’t a red-card offence. It was deemed to be careless rather than serious foul play. Replays showed Caicedo was fortunate. Players have been sent off for much less this season.
It was cruel on Gravenberch, who had started brightly in his first final since arriving from Bayern Munich in the summer.
Klopp and assistant manager Pep Lijnders continued their protests to the fourth official, Tim Robinson, while Joe Gomez came on at right-back, with Elliott moved into midfield and Conor Bradley pushed forward as a makeshift right-sided attacker.
It underlined just how stretched Klopp’s resources are. Gravenberch makes it 12 members of the senior squad ruled out due to injury. During the celebrations, the midfielder returned to the pitch on crutches, with his left ankle in a protective boot amid fears he is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
In the build-up to Sunday’s final, Pochettino had urged the officials to be “fair” as he warned against them getting caught up in the emotion around Klopp’s impending departure. Did his mind games pay off for Chelsea? It was a painful moment that went his team’s way.
James Pearce
Chelsea preparing for life after Thiago Silva
Chelsea can start saying with some confidence that they are finally moving on from Thiago Silva.
You have to feel a lot of sympathy for the 39-year-old, who has been superb for Chelsea since joining as a free agent from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020.
A groin injury sustained at Crystal Palace a fortnight ago robbed him of a possible farewell appearance at Wembley — he is expected to leave at the end of the season.
His enforced absence has given Pochettino the chance to pair Disasi and Colwill against Manchester City last week and Liverpool today.
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In two of the club’s toughest games, the duo impressed as a partnership. They may not have been completely infallible, as their opponents still registered a lot of shots, yet an understanding of great promise is beginning to develop, one Silva should not separate once he is ready to play again.
Chelsea’s defensive line was much higher with these two, even against a side as dangerous as Liverpool.
For all of Silva’s experience and know-how, Chelsea would have found it a lot harder to stem the men in red without Disasi and Colwill.
Simon Johnson
Caicedo against the club that wanted him
Somehow, you just knew Caicedo would be one of the main talking points in a game between these two clubs — it has been this way since the transfer window last summer.
Back then, Chelsea just about beat Liverpool to his signature, paying Brighton £115million (including add-ons) to ensure he moved to Stamford Bridge.
Klopp made a point of suggesting it was a blessing in disguise in December by saying how the transfer window turned out for Liverpool, with Romeo Lavia also rejecting them in favour of Chelsea, was “lucky”.
Caicedo certainly had a point to prove to Chelsea fans at Wembley, let alone their opponents. His form has been improving, but this was a different challenge, one he failed when Pochettino’s side lost 4-1 at Anfield last month.
He began well here, breaking up play far more effectively than he did just over three weeks ago. But he could, and perhaps should, have been sent off after a clumsy stamp on Gravenberch.
Some players would have wilted after being involved in such a controversial incident, but Caicedo continued to offer Chelsea’s back line some much-needed protection.
At times, he seemed isolated, as his midfield partner Enzo Fernandez struggled to cope with the pace of the game. Some of the Argentinian’s passing was not neat enough.
As tired legs inevitably came into play, Caicedo was still winning back possession for Chelsea and being a constant nuisance.
Despite the controversy, this was the display he needed to win over the doubters.
Simon Johnson
What was said after the match?
Van Dijk spoke about his pride at seeing Liverpool’s youngsters perform at Wembley. “When you are young and get an opportunity, you have to grab it with both hands and the guys did it today,” he said. “It is good to see. This should be the start. They should use this to kick on and I am sure they will. They should keep pushing and trying to get close to the first team and be part of the squad. To experience this as a teenager only benefits you.”
Diaz dedicated the victory to his parents: “I dedicate this trophy to my mother and father. They are both here. For everything that they went through, it makes today so much more special.”
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Klopp also heaped the praise on his young players. “What we saw here today was so exceptional, we might never see it again,” he said. “These things don’t happen in football. I got told outside there’s an English phrase ‘you don’t win trophies with kids’. I didn’t know that.
“In my 20 years, it’s easily the most special trophy I ever won. It was exceptional. Sometimes I get asked ‘are you proud of this, proud of that’ – sometimes I wish I could feel pride more often. But tonight it was an overwhelming feeling. I was proud of everyone involved, proud of our people (fans) for the way they pushed us, proud of the staff for creating this kind of atmosphere where these boys can do what they’re best at. I was proud of the academy, proud of our coaches.”
What next for Chelsea?
Wednesday, February 28: Leeds United (H), FA Cup fifth round, 8pm GMT, 3pm ET
What next for Liverpool?
Wednesday, February 28: Southampton (H), FA Cup fifth round, 8pm GMT, 3pm ET
Recommended reading
- Does the League Cup have a future – and what could that look like?
- Wataru Endo, Liverpool’s £16m bargain who has left Caicedo in the shade
- The sporting director state of play: Who’s on the move? Who’s staying put? Who’s in demand?
- Pedro Neto’s future? Mbappe’s destination? Liverpool’s sporting director hunt? – Ask Ornstein
(Top photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images)