Chelsea vs Liverpool Fc (10-11): Player ratings and analysis from Carabao Cup final as Liverpool win in Thrilling penalty shootout

Chelsea vs Liverpool Fc (10-11): Player ratings and analysis from Carabao Cup final as Liverpool win in Thrilling penalty shootout

The blues Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga skyrocketed the final penalty over the crossbar to give the reds Their first trophy of the season

The premier league giants Liverpool are once again champions as they emerge winners Carabao Cup after beating Chelsea 11-10 in a dramatic penalty shootout at the end of a thrilling carabao cup final.

After all 20 outfield players have netted from the spot, the Reds goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher scored his penalty before Chelsea goalie Kepa Arrizabalaga – brought on moments before the end of extra time to become the hero – blazed his attempt over the bar.

There had been no fewer than four disallowed goals to set up the shootout – one for Liverpool and three for Chelsea – as Liverpool Fc lifted the first trophy of the domestic season.

Chelsea had been made to pay for a host of missed chances, Mason Mount guilty of missing from just yards out after Christian Pulisic’s run through the middle, the England international later hitting the post to leave Kelleher floundering.

Edouard Mendy had kept the scores all leveled with an incredible double-save to first deny Naby Keita from range and then to keep out Sadio Mane’s follow-up.

A breakthrough finally looked to have come through Joel Matip, as he converted in Mane’s header across goal after Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick.

Chelsea had two goals of theirs disallowed when Kelleher came close to keeping out Kai Havertz’s header, only for the ball to have crept over the line.

Christian Pulisic could have broken the deadlock early on but could only pull off a tame shot, and the pendulum soon swung back in Liverpool’s favour as Luis Diaz continued to impress in English football, drawing three fouls in the first half alone.

It could have turned into a bad-tempered final, with Keita making two late tackles but rightly staying on despite an uncomfortable clash with Trevoh Chalobah.

Salah, who had largely been kept at bay by Antonio Rudiger, could not convert Liverpool’s best opportunity when Mendy’s careless outwards pass allowed the Reds to counter, Salah’s attempted chip kept off the line by Thiago Silva.

Lukaku had a second Chelsea goal chalked off for a marginal offside, his ill-timed run squandering a brilliant finish after a drag-back onto his stronger foot. Havertz’s strike in the 20th minute of extra time was also disallowed, though this time his transgression past Van Dijk was much more clear cut.

Kepa Arrizabalaga missed his penalty kick. (Photo Credit: AFP)

With penalties looming around, Thomas Tuchel turned to Kepa – hoping for a dramatic League Cup final for the right reasons this time.

Kepa was unable to save any of Liverpool’s first 10 penalties, but nor did Kelleher have any answer to Chelsea’s initial spot-kick. That left it to the two goalkeepers to take one each as Tuchel’s hopes of turning Kepa into the game-changer backfired.

Player ratings

Chelsea Fc

Mendy – 8
Chalobah – 6
T Silva – 8
Rudiger – 7
Azpilicueta – 7
Kante – 6
Kovacic – 7
Alonso – 6
Mount – 6
Pulisic – 6
Havertz – 7

Substitutes:

James – 6
Lukaku – 7
Werner – 6
Jorginho – 6
Kepa – 5

Liverpool Fc

Kelleher – 7
Alexander-Arnold – 8
Matip – 6
Van Dijk – 7
Robertson – 6
Henderson – 6
Fabinho – 6
Keita – 5
Salah – 6
Mane – 6
Diaz – 8

Substitutes:

Jota – 6
Elliott – 7
Milner -7
Konate – 6
Origi – 6