By Samuel A. February 26, 2024
Jurgen Klopp revealed his desire to write another chapter in Liverpool’s “wonderful book” before taking his leave at the end of the season, but this Carabao Cup final victory over Chelsea provided an unlikely story even by his own remarkable standards.
Klopp’s line-up was stripped of some of its most precious assets going into a meeting with Chelsea’s billion-pound project, the odds on a Liverpool victory lengthening with the arrival of the team-sheet before kick-off.
Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez were added to a list of casualties already containing keeper Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones. And yet, in defiance of logic, Klopp ended up celebrating another landmark Liverpool win as he was courageous enough to summon kids from the club’s Kirkby creche to lift the first trophy of a potential four-trophy haul, the win sealed by Virgil van Dijk’s header two minutes from the end of extra time.
Much will be made of Chelsea’s missed opportunity and the label of “billion-pound bottle jobs” attached to them by former Manchester United defender and TV pundit Gary Neville.
And yet the credit must go to Klopp and Liverpool. eThe manager was mocked by neutrals for comparing the midweek Anfield comeback to beat struggling Luton Town 4-1 to the famous Champions League semi-final win over Barcelona, but he has every right to reflect and bask in a truly remarkable win here at Wembley.
Chelsea, to their agony, will surely never have a better chance to avenge those FA Cup and League Cup final losses on penalties to Liverpool in 2022, and yet the latest chapter of Klopp’s book ended with the familiar storyline of more red celebrations.
It is hard to measure just how much Klopp will be missed when he leaves Liverpool in the summer, but it is patently clear that no matter who comes in, a huge hole will be left to fill.
The good news for the next manager is that this Wembley win provided hard evidence of the golden future Klopp has laid out for his successor, both in terms of established world-class talent and a speeding production line from Liverpool’s Kirkby academy.
Liverpool had the tried and trusted world class of defender and match-winner Van Dijk, while keeper Caoimhin Kelleher produced another Wembley display to sit comfortably alongside his heroics when they had their ninth win in the competition against Chelsea two years ago.
What was arguably even more memorable, and something for which this final will be remembered in future, was Klopp’s astonishing show of faith and trust in Liverpool’s emerging youngsters, showing not a care of worry for any Wembley nerves or caution as they were thrown into the fray with a tense final hanging in the balance.
Klopp will be a massive miss in every aspect of Liverpool when he leaves but the manner of this win suggests there is every chance he will give his adoring fans even more to remember him by when the time comes to say goodbye.
