Carabao Cup: ‘Jurgen Klopp’s kids beat Chelsea’s billion-pound bottle-jobs’ – pundits react to Liverpool triumph

Plenty might need anticipated a Liverpool love-in from Jamie Carragher after his beloved Reds’ dramatic Carabao Cup ultimate triumph over Chelsea.

But it was his sparring rival Gary Neville who put his Manchester United allegiances firmly to one facet, lauding Liverpool – and criticising the crushed Blues.

“Klopp’s kids against the blue billion-pound bottle-jobs,” remarked the previous England full-again on Sky Sports.

“This is Klopp’s last few months [as Liverpool boss], but it will be as proud a moment as he’s had.”

Virgil van Dijk’s header two minutes from the top of additional time settled a rollercoaster Wembley ultimate as an harm-hit and youthful Liverpool lifted a report-extending 10th League Cup.

The Reds’ common age on the ultimate whistle was lower than 22, with 5 gamers aged 20 or below and a number of other massively inexperienced.

Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea fielded a youthful facet themselves, with the typical age of their beginning XI below 24 and youthful than Liverpool’s, however that they had lots extra expertise than their counterparts.

“Chelsea will regret it, these moments will live with you for a long, long time. I have no sympathy for them whatsoever,” Neville stated of a Blues facet who missed a bunch of possibilities in regular time and have been outplayed in further time.

“Pochettino’s males have shrunk proper in entrance of our eyes and proper in entrance of their very own followers.

“I can not consider Chelsea in further time, what has occurred? They haven’t performed, they haven’t turned up.

“You can lose any game but you can’t shrink like that when Liverpool had five kids on the pitch.”

Injury-hit Liverpool went into Sunday’s ultimate with a squad peppered with youngsters – amid an harm disaster that has landed a number of superstars on the Anfield therapy desk.

Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, Dominik Szoboszlai and goalkeeper Alisson Becker have been amongst these solely ready to watch on at Wembley.

But Klopp confirmed his belief within the membership’s future as his starters drained, bringing a number of children off the bench – and so they greater than matched the expensively-assembled Blues, significantly in further time.

“Special managers do special things,” raved Neville. “It’s a bantamweight squad however punches like a heavyweight and that’s due to Klopp.

“It is Klopp’s ultimate lap and he has run that bend properly, however he’s a workaholic and he may have them prepared as a result of he is aware of the massive, large video games are nonetheless to play for.

“Those young lads, you cannot believe how important this will be in their lives. Klopp has everything you would want in a football manager.”

The German will depart the membership this summer time after a trophy-laden 9 years in cost however has the possibility to bow out with an unprecedented quadruple.

Liverpool are within the final 16 of each the Europa League and FA Cup – and, in fact, sit atop the Premier League with 12 video games of the season remaining.

“If ever there was a match that summed up Klopp as a manager, this was it,” added former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp. “The passion, the desire, absolutely incredible. What a win.”

Indeed, the one draw back might be what life at Liverpool might appear like after Klopp departs.

“He has absolutely transformed this club,” Carragher added. “I said when he announced he was leaving these players would want to send him out with a bang and they have started out well.”

“How do you follow Jurgen Klopp?” added Redknapp. “A pacesetter of males, he has led a metropolis. An unbelievable human being.

“Trying to come to Liverpool after what he is finished and what he is created, it is nearly inconceivable. It is.

“Every Liverpool fan around the world has looked up to that man and what he’s achieved.”

Even ex-Chelsea and England winger Karen Carney agreed, including: “I am not a Liverpool fan but I feel emotional because he will be leaving. What he has achieved is unbelievable, what a guy.”

Van Dijk has typically been pinpointed as Klopp’s most necessary signing in his time at Liverpool, the catalyst for a defensive enchancment that has led to the Reds turning into shut to serial silverware winners.

Not solely did he pop up with the headline-grabbing winner, he additionally marshalled an inexperienced again-line – significantly after Klopp’s substitutions – that by some means, towards all odds, saved the massive-spending Blues at bay.

“What a captain, what a leader – everything revolves around Virgil van Dijk,” stated ex-England striker Alan Shearer on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“He couldn’t come off, Liverpool needed him, the amount of times he stopped Chelsea…”

Carragher added: “We will talk about Klopp’s kids but that was colossal from Van Dijk,” whereas Redknapp described the winner as “fitting” for “one of the Premier League greats”.

“When he first came in, the fee [£75m] paid raised a few eyebrows, but he’s more than repaid it,” stated former Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“All of their success has coincided with the arrivals of Van Dijk and Alisson.”

Chelsea have spent greater than £1bn on switch and mortgage charges since Todd Boehly took over possession of the membership in the summertime of 2022.

But they completed 12th within the Premier League final season, sit 11th this time period and haven’t received a trophy since Thomas Tuchel led them to the Champions League, Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup crowns in 2021.

Such glory days appear way back for a membership that has now misplaced its previous six home cup finals – together with three to Liverpool.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino additionally stays and not using a trophy in English soccer after a number of close to misses with former membership Tottenham.

“It’s unthinkable for Chelsea not to win it,” stated Carragher. “Pochettino won’t ever have a greater alternative if you happen to take a look at this Liverpool workforce that’s now out.

“This is a extremely dangerous one for Chelsea, it was so necessary for Pochettino to get that trophy.

“This shows football is not just about money. It is about character, playing for the manager. Chelsea just haven’t found that at the moment.”