25 February 2024 , 18:08
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Liverpool have won the Carabao Cup, with "Klopp's Kids" beating the "Blue billion-pound bottlejobs" as Gary Neville so eloquently put it.
Virgil van Dijk was the matchwinner, heading home from a corner with just three minutes left to play during the second-half of extra time. Going into that final 30-minute period, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp handed several young Liverpool talents the chance to go and make a name for themselves and that's exactly what they did.
Neville issued a particularly scathing rant regarding Chelsea's extra-time performance, but the signs that this trophy was heading into the hands of the Reds were there during half-time of extra time. While Pochettino seemed to construct an anxious huddle of his Chelsea stars, Klopp oozed calm.
The German coach was his usual self, smiling, laughing and hugging his players. It was evident that Klopp was doing all he could to ensure that his Liverpool line-up, which at this stage had an average age of just under 24, were completely relaxed going into the final furlong.
In many ways, the extra-time team talks told a wider story. Pochettino is still without a trophy in English football, after more than seven years in the English game. In contrast, Klopp now has eight trophies to his name during his illustrious reign as Reds boss.
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He has been there, done it and got the medals. There wasn't an ounce of fear or anxiety transmitted from his technical area as the game approached its last knockings, which clearly had the desired impact on his young players on the pitch.
Van Dijk waxed lyrical about Liverpool's more inexperienced players after the full-time whistle, telling Sky Sports: "It means so much, all the young boys on the pitch in extra time, it's incredible I'm so proud of the team, intense game for both sides, we had chances and... amazing.
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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp guided his side to Carabo Cup glory"I didn't want to get injured, I tired to get up a little bit quick. Listen it's emotion, it's everything and I'm so proud of the boys, all the young boys playing their part in what we achieved today and it's incredible and yeah onto more."
It is rare to see a manager laughing to himself with a trophy on the line and a penalty shootout lingering, but Klopp is no ordinary manager. From Chelsea's perspective, it is a damaging blow and marks the club's sixth straight Wembley defeat.
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