Carabao Cup remaining: Liverpool’s win towards Chelsea may turbocharge historic quadruple bid

Carabao Cup final: Liverpool's win against Chelsea could turbocharge historic quadruple bid

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Kepa Arrizabalaga was the Chelsea goalkeeper who refused to come off in a League Cup final. He could not wait to come on to face Liverpool in the same showpiece at Wembley two years later, but now probably wishes he had stayed in his seat.

Kepa notoriously blanked manager Maurizio Sarri during the 2019 Wembley meeting with Manchester City as Chelsea eventually lost on penalties. The outcome was the same this time as Liverpool prevailed but his role and circumstances were markedly different.

Here, rather than cock a deaf ear to the instructions of an enraged manager who thought he was carrying an injury, Kepa was sent on to replace the brilliant Edouard Mendy in the closing moments of extra time in a classic goalless EFL Cup final.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel banked on Kepa’s reputation as a penalty specialist but was not rewarded as he failed to save any of Liverpool’s 11 penalties, then sent the decisive spot-kick in…

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