Reds eye clean sweep after 'big one for us'

LONDON • Jurgen Klopp challenged Liverpool to chase a historic quadruple after the Reds won the League Cup final in a dramatic penalty shoot-out against Chelsea at Wembley on Sunday.

The German's side clinched the first of the four major trophies for which they are competing this term when Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga smashed his penalty high over the crossbar.

The Spaniard, who came on for No. 1 Edouard Mendy at the end of extra time for the shoot-out, was the only player to miss as Liverpool converted all 11 spot kicks and Chelsea netted 10.

Having failed to win a trophy last season, Klopp believes his players can use the momentum from their record ninth League Cup triumph, and the first in 10 years, to fuel their bid to become the first English club to enjoy a trophy sweep.

The Reds trail Premier League leaders Manchester City by six points with a game in hand, hold a 2-0 lead entering their Champions League last-16, second leg against Inter Milan and host Norwich in the FA Cup fifth round tomorrow.

"This is the start. We are not silly. You need luck. We have to survive, work hard and, we have to play on Wednesday again," Klopp said.

"We don't get nervous when things don't go well. We are more experienced now.

"It's a big one for us. The first time for this group...

"It was like two lions going at each other. It was absolutely crazy. It was one of the most spectacular shoot-outs I ever saw."

Reds captain Jordan Henderson is hopeful of lifting more silverware. He told talkSport: "At the start of the season, you never set out to go for certain trophies and not go for them... Hopefully, we can just continue on that road and in the near future, hopefully, there's more trophies to be won."

It was a fittingly tense conclusion to a thrilling encounter that finished 0-0 after extra time despite both sides creating numerous chances. Liverpool had a Joel Matip goal controversially disallowed for a dubious offside against Virgil van Dijk in the second half.

Chelsea were denied three times by the offside flag.

But in the end, it was a tale of two back-up goalkeepers, the Reds' Caoimhin Kelleher, whom Klopp has trusted in all domestic cup ties, and Arrizabalaga, who lost his spot for the final having played in all Chelsea's previous League Cup matches this season.

"Even in professional football, there should be space for some sentiment," said Klopp.

"Caoimhin Kelleher is a young boy, plays in all the competition, what do I do? I am two things, a professional manager and a human being and the human being won."

The 23-year-old Irish custodian has played just 16 times for the Reds, but has won more penalty shoot-outs (three) than any goalkeeper in the club's history.

Kelleher even scored from the spot with the Reds' 11th penalty, which teammate Andy Robertson described as a "different class".

Arrizabalaga has a reputation as a penalty-saving expert and came off the bench to help win the Uefa Super Cup shoot-out against Villarreal earlier this season.

Said Blues boss Thomas Tuchel: "We did it before with Kepa, he is slightly better in penalty-saving and that is why I made the decision. It is unusual all 11 players need to shoot, he took it a bit too quick. Sometimes these things can turn against you but you make them when they need to be made, not after when people can judge you."

There was plenty of judgment of Tuchel's decision. Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie Redknapp told Sky Sports: "It is a rubbish idea. It is a case of being too clever for your own good... How could anyone say they wouldn't have won it if Mendy was in goal? It's rubbish, it's nonsense - he didn't even get near to a penalty."

His former England teammate David James said on the BBC: "You have to wonder the psychological impact of Kepa, who having done so well in helping to get Chelsea to the final only to be told you're not playing. Mendy was man of the match and then you're expected to go on and save pens.

"The psychological pressure on him would have been absolutely massive."

REUTERS, AFP