The Carabao Cup ultimate between Chelsea and Liverpool is arising on Sunday, and at last we now have one thing for Blues followers to get enthusiastic about after virtually two full seasons of distress.
We tackle a Liverpool crew who’re affected by damage, however are additionally high of the Premier League and searching in menacing type.
Whether or not you discover a Bettors information in Kenya or go browsing in your info, they’ll be telling you an identical factor: Liverpool are heavy favourites for the sport, regardless of being depleted.
That’s honest sufficient, when you have a look at the data.
Issues have been locked up tight between the 2 groups – the 2 cup finals in 2022 have been 0-0 attracts selected penalties. The 2 league video games after that have been additionally scoreless attracts.
We then opened our season this yr with a 1-1 draw, earlier than the Reds ended the stalemate by smashing us 4-1 at Anfield a month in the past.
That consequence will probably be what’s affected the markets essentially the most. Everybody remembers fairly how feeble and misplaced we appeared in that recreation, and whereas we count on a greater displaying at a impartial floor, the gulf at school on show was clearly sufficient to persuade bookies that Jurgen Klopp’s crew must be closely favoured.
For all of this Chelsea crew’s expertise, they haven’t delivered persistently this season by anybody’s requirements. Good video games are sometimes adopted with unhealthy ones, they usually’ve constructed up expectations on a number of events earlier than letting everybody down. We all know what they can do, we’re simply unsure in the event that they’ll sink or swim at Wembley.
The one factor we now have in our favour is the best way we’ve carried out in opposition to large groups. The defeat to Liverpool was unhealthy, however other than that (together with within the opening recreation of the season) we’ve tended to compete and carry out effectively in opposition to sides that truly come out and assault us, leaving our counter assault area to function in.
The sport in opposition to Man Metropolis final weekend wasn’t electrical, however it confirmed there’s a core of gamers who know learn how to hold the ball and hold the sport tight. From there we are able to simply attempt to catch Liverpool out as we did Metropolis, ready for the prospect to unleash counter assault threats like Raheem Sterling, Nicolas Jackson, Mykhailo Mudryk and so forth
What odds on one other 0-0? We will see each groups being fairly cautious, with Chelsea missing confidence and expertise, and Liverpool missing some large leaders.
As soon as it goes to additional time and penalties, it’s anybody’s recreation…
