Ex-Liverpool striker Michael Owen is expecting his former club to narrowly beat Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final this evening.
Owen says that, while he believes it will be a tight contest, he is still backing Jurgen Klopp’s side to secure the win at Wembley:
“This is a difficult one to call. Chelsea have been winning, but I don’t think they’ve been playing well. There’s clearly an issue with Lukaku, and Thomas Tuchel has a big decision to make for this game. Defensively they remain top-class, they’ll need to be at their best here.”
“Liverpool have hit their best form of the season. The squad is looking so strong, and Klopp has some big decisions to make. For so long that front three picked itself, but with the likes of Jota and Luis Diaz in such good form, that’s no longer the case. Winning a trophy at Wembley is the one thing missing from Klopp’s Liverpool trophy cabinet, they’ll be really up for this. I think it will be a close game, but I think Liverpool will edge it.”
Owen has gone for a 2-1 victory to the Reds, which is not a surprising prediction, considering the pundit’s past association with the Merseyside club.
He is, though, right to say that it will be a tough game to predict. The two teams are very well matched and you wouldn’t bet against the final going to extra-time and even penalties.
Chelsea have won three major finals (the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup) since May and you would like to think that would hold them in good stead, especially as their opponent’s last significant big occasion came all the way back in 2019. We shall see if those recent experiences play a role tonight.
