Chelsea vs Liverpool 2024 Carabao Cup Final Predictions, Preview: Team News and Salah Injury Update

Chelsea vs Liverpool 2024 Carabao Cup Final Predictions, Preview: Team News and Salah Injury Update

Joel Reyes
February 23, 2024 at 12:43 PM
In this article:
Chelsea logo
Chelsea
England
61
Liverpool logo
Liverpool
England
45
English Carabao Cup logo
EFL Cup
England
Mohamed Salah logo
M. Salah
Liverpool logoFEgypt logo
Darwin Nuñez logo
D.Núñez
Liverpool logoFUruguay logo
Thiago Silva logo
T. Silva
Fluminense RJ logoDBrazil logo
Kepa Arrizabalaga logo
Kepa
Chelsea logoGSpain logo
  • Chelsea and Liverpool will lock horns in the Carabao Cup final this Sunday
  • The Blues have won the League Cup five times in their history
  • Injury concerns surfaced again for Mohamed Salah ahead of the final

And then there were two.

All eyes will be on Wembley Stadium this coming Sunday as powerhouse teams Chelsea and Liverpool square off in the 2024 Carabao Cup final.

Read on as Sports Brief brings you a preview of this blockbuster showdown.

Jurgen Klopp, Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea, Liverpool, EFL Cup, Carabao Cup, Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Thiago Silva.
Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino. Image: Andrew Powell.
Source: Getty Images

Chelsea vs. Liverpool EFL Cup Final Preview

Form Guide

Liverpool will head into their showdown with Chelsea with momentum on their side.

The Reds have won five of their last six matches in all competitions, including a resounding 4-1 victory over Chelsea in the Premier League.

They are coming off a 4-1 win over Luton Town last Wednesday, a result which extended their lead in the Premier League table to four points.

Chelsea, on the other hand, have struggled lately, winning just twice in their last six matches in all competitions.

Recent Head-to-Head Matchups

Liverpool and Chelsea last faced each other in the League Cup back in 2022 when the two sides squared off in the final.

The match went into penalties after both teams failed to score in regulation and extra time. The shootout was epic, to say the least, with all 22 players from Liverpool and Chelsea attempting a spot kick.

Only one of them didn't score a penalty, with Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga's miss handing the Carabao Cup title to Liverpool.

Seven of the last eight meetings between Chelsea and Liverpool have resulted in draws (two of which were decided by a penalty shootout). The draw streak was snapped earlier this year when the Reds crushed the Blues 4-1 at Anfield.

Team News

Mohamed Salah grabbed the headlines at the Africa Cup of Nations when he injured his hamstring during Egypt's match against Ghana in the group stage.

That forced him to be sidelined for several weeks. He returned to action for Liverpool's game against Brentford on February 17, recording a goal and an assist in the 4-1 win.

His status for Sunday's final is up in the air, though, after he didn't see action in the Reds' midweek game against Luton Town.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said that Salah's current issue is in the same area as his previous hamstring injury.

Darwin Nunez also didn't play against Luton after he picked up a knock in the game against Brentford. His status for the final also remains uncertain.

Thiago Silva is in a race against time to be fit for the final after he suffered a groin injury in the game against Crystal Palace.

Writer's Prediction

Chelsea edge past Liverpool to win their sixth League Cup title.

Who will replace Klopp?

Sports Brief recently reported on Klopp's possible successor.

The German manager announced this month that he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.

One guy tipped to replace Klopp at Anfield is Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso.

Authors
Joel Reyes photo
Joel Reyes
Joel Reyes is a sports editor at Sportsbrief.com with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of the Philippines. He has eight years of work experience in sports writing.
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Jürgen Klopp