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Match Details
Date: 27 February 2022
Time: 10:30 P.M. IST
Venue: Wembley Stadium, London
Live Ball-by-ball Commentary: SportsTiger App
Preview:
Two Premier League giants, Liverpool and Chelsea, go head to head in the final of the EFL Cup on Sunday. The Merseyside team enter this matchup after defeating Arsenal 2-0 aggregate in the semi-finals. Similarly, the Reds dominated the Premier League as they registered two victories in the last gameweek and are second on the table with 60 points.
The Blues took down Tottenham 3-0 aggregate in their semi-final with goals from Kai Havertz and Antonio Rudiger across both legs. Chelsea has won four out of their last five games and is placed third in the Premier League table with 50 points from 25 games.
Both teams have played each other once in the 2021-22 PL season, which ended in a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge. Liverpool’s Sadio Mane scored a goal in the ninth minute. Then Mane’s strike partner Mo Salah doubled their lead as he slotted the ball in the right corner.
Towards the dying minutes of the first half, midfielder Mateo Kovačić hit a screamer to pull one back for Chelsea. In the space of four minutes, Blues’ winger Christan Pulisic levelled the score 2-2 with another clinical finish. Eventually, the game ended at 2-2.
Team News:
Liverpool: Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino remain injured and will miss the final at the Wembley.
Chelsea: Hakim Ziyech and Mateo Kovacic could miss the game against Liverpool as they were seen limping in the previous CL fixture. Ben Chilwell will remain ruled out after a knee injury.
Analysis
Liverpool can be considered slight favourites in this matchup at the Wembley Stadium. They have been one of the most consistent teams in the recent few years. In the current season, Klopp’s team has played with a 2.69 XG (expected goals) and 0.77 AXG (Against Expected goals) and earned 2.31 points per game. Whereas for Chelsea, their struggles stem from their striker Romelu Lukaku who has emerged as one of the worst signings this season. CFC is playing with an XG of 1.96 AXG of 0.72 and has taken 2 points per game. Hence the Reds are mostly like to win their ninth EFL Cup.
Probable Starting XI:
Liverpool: Luis Diaz, Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, Thiago Alcantara, Fabhino, Jordan Henderson, Joel Matip, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil Van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Allison
Chelsea: Edouard Mendy, Cesar Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Antonion Rudiger, Reece James, N'Golo Kante, Jorginho, Marcos Alonso, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Romelu Lukaku.
Key Players
Team 1
Team 2
Best 14:
GK: Edouard Mendy, Allison
Def: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil Van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Thiago Silva
Mid: Jorginho, Sadio Mane, Luis Diaz, N'Golo Kante, Mason Mount
ST: Romelu Lukaku, Kai Havertz, Mo Salah,
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