THE first domestic final of the year is HERE as Chelsea face Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.
And there’ll be a new winner of the competition for the first time since 2017, after Manchester City’s four triumphs in a row.
City were knocked out by West Ham on penalties in the fourth round.
The Blues are aiming for their second trophy THIS MONTH, having won the Club World Cup in Dubai.
Thomas Tuchel’s side defeated Tottenham in their semi-final to progress to the Carabao Cup final, while Liverpool dispatched of Arsenal in their semi-final.
- Start time: 4.30pm GMT
- TV/Live stream: Sky Sports Football
- Chelsea XI: Mendy, Chalobah, Thiago Silva, Rudiger, Azpilicueta, Kante, Kovacic, Alonso, Mount, Havertz, Pulisic
- Liverpool XI: Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Keita, Henderson, Mane, Diaz, Salah
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Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
87. The most impressive touch Romelu Lukaku has had in weeks.
It’s just a shame it was with his shoulder and on Joel Matip’s back, leaving the Liverpool defender on his backside.
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
85. A mad scramble inside the Chelsea penalty area!
Mendy makes at least one stop following another Liverpool corner as the ball is then hurriedly taken off the toes of Matip and Van Dijk.
“It’s a really good nil-nil this,” beams Gary Neville.
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
84. The presence of Lukaku forces Matip into a rushed header back towards Kelleher, who fumbles the ball and appears to carry it beyond the touchline.
The Chelsea fans at that end of Wembley want a corner, but Stuart Atwell waves play on.
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
82. Milner adds his name to the shot statistics immediately, slamming a one-two with Salah on the edge of the box high and wide of goal.
Meanwhile, Stuart Atwell has gone over to the dugouts to have a word with Jurgen Klopp. How unlike the Liverpool manager to let his emotions run amok.
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool – Liverpool substitutions
80. It’s time for Liverpool to make their first changes – and there’s three of them.
On come James Milner, Diogo Jota and Harvey Elliott, who wasn’t even named in the original squad prior to Thiago’s injury.
Off go Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and a clearly disgruntled Sadio Mane
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
78. Now it’s Chelsea’s turn to see their celebrations curtailed by an offside decision.
This one is much more clear cut with both Lukaku and Werner slow in getting back once Diaz had lost possession.
A pass is sent through for Werner, who lofts a cross over for Havertz to head home via the hand of Kelleher.
No sooner had the ball crossed the line, however, and the flag was raised on the near side.
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool – Diaz chance!
75. Here come Liverpool again – and here comes Diaz!
The forward bursts away from his man as he goes through on goal, but takes himself wide. When the shot eventually comes in, it’s from a narrow angle and easily saved by Mendy at his near post.
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool – Chelsea substitutions
73. Just like the first half, momentum has moved in Liverpool’s favour.
Thomas Tuchel notes as much as decides to make changes.
The Blues bring on Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner for Mason Mount and Christian Pulisic.
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
71. It’s hectic now – on and off the pitch.
One club feel hard done by after that decision, the other invigorated.
The noise is deafening, the football is frantic, the final is intense.
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
69. The decision is offside!
Van Dijk is the guilty man, even though the centre-back played no meaningful part in the goal.
However, the Liverpool centre-back was instrumental in blocking off James, allowing Mane to drift towards the back post and head Salah’s free-kick across goal for Matip to convert from close range.
The League Cup Final remains goalless!
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Or does he? It’s a VAR review!
Stuart Atwell has been advised to consult the pitchside monitors…
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Goal! Matip opens the scoring!
The deadlock is broken at Wembley, and it comes courtesy of the most unlikely source!
It’s Joel Matip!
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool – Salah chance!
64. Mendy may have saved Chelsea in the first half, but he’s played them into real trouble here.
The goalkeeper miskicks his clearance and sends it straight to a a red shirt.
Mane takes over and sends Salah – just on the edge of being offside – through on goal. The Egyptian takes a heavy touch, and then dinks a shot over Mendy that is weak enough to allow Thiago Silva to rush back and clear off the line. It was probably going wide too.
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
61. Both players have recovered, and the game is back in action.
Into the final third, and still either side could win this.
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
59. Ouch! Keita and Chalobah clash inside the centre circle, and it’s a sore one – especially for the Chelsea man.
The slo-mos show both players going for the ball, Keita missing it, and then connecting with Chalobah right where it hurts.
There’s a quick VAR review, but the officials are satisfied that there was no malice in Keita’s act.
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool – Chelsea substitution
57. The first change of this League Cup Final is an enforced one.
Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta is off, and here comes Reece James. The England defender hasn’t featured since December 29th, and only returned to training three days ago.
How will he fare with half hour of cup final football?
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
56. Oh, what’s happened to Azpilicueta? The Chelsea captain has pulled up and doesn’t appear as though he can continue.
Will this signal the return of Reece James?
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
54. The subsequent corner from Robertson is woeful, and booted away to safety by the first defender at the near post.
It’s very unlike the Scotland captain.
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
53. Diaz turns Chalobah inside out again, sending him one way and then another as he dribbles into the box.
The dizzy defender sticks with his man, however, and is rewarded by a block that diverts the Colombian’s shot behind for a corner.
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
51. Mendy comes to Chelsea’s rescue once again, rushing off his line to head a loose ball away from goal.
Diaz is on to the rebound and fancies his chances of getting a quick shot away, only to find Rudiger blocking his path.
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool – Mount hits post!
49. Chelsea are getting closer!
Pulisic picks out Mount’s run between the two central defenders perfectly, and leaves the England man clean through.
Everyone stops assuming an offside flag, and when it doesn’t arrive there’s a momentary panic. In the confusion, Mount digs out a side-footed shot that strikes the bass of the woodwork, and rolls kindly for Kelleher to rescue.
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Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
48. Almost! Mount swivels the ball out to Havertz on the left, who then does brilliantly to skip past Matip with ease.
It takes the German to the byline, who fires a low ball across the face of goal, just inches ahead of Mount bursting into the six-yard box.
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Kick-off – Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
46. Here we go! They’re back at it at Wembley where there have been no half-time changes from either side.
Chelsea get the game going again, and launch an attack immediately. Havertz makes a threatening move down the right, but his centre is headed away from danger by Van Dijk.
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First half facts and figures
Liverpool have dominated possession and the passing, but they’ve only managed two attempts on target – the same figure as their opponents.
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Half-time – Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
Stuart Atwell calls time on an exhilarating first half at Wembley. There have been no goals to report, but plenty of talking points.
Liverpool dominated for long periods of the 45 minutes, but Chelsea started – and finished – brighter.
Kai Havertz and Mason Mount both have had big opportunities to open the scoring, while only an astonishing save from Edouard Mendy denied Sadio Mane from doing as much at the other end.
It’s still anyone’s trophy.