Garth Crooks was left impressed by a handful of Liverpool stars after the Reds secured a record ninth League Cup trophy against Chelsea.
The pundit suggested that Caoimhin Kelleher’s composure in successfully taking his spot-kick in the penalty shootout may have influenced opposite No.1 Kepa Arrizabalaga for the worse ahead of his opportunity in front of goal.
“The Carabao Cup final is like any final, full of tension and anxiety, but for Kelleher it seemed like a training session,” the former Tottenham star wrote in his team of the week column for BBC Sport.
“I’m sure it wasn’t but throughout this brilliant football match Kelleher didn’t only keep his nerve but actually won Liverpool the match. I don’t think I have ever seen anything quite like it.
“A goalkeeper taking the final penalty in a shootout and burying it so comprehensively in the back of the net must have scared the living daylights out of Kepa Arrizabalaga because he missed his.”
The Spaniard blazed his effort well over the bar to hand the Carabao Cup to Jurgen Klopp’s title-chasers.
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Kelleher is a more than deserving addition to the mural of cup winners at the AXA training centre following his cup final heroics.
Though the Irishman failed to get a firm hand on any penalties from Chelsea’s outfield players, we’re more than impressed by the ‘keeper’s self-belief in keeping his cool to tuck away our 11th spot-kick.
We’re looking forward to seeing what the shotstopper can accomplish in the FA Cup, with Klopp more than likely to keep the faith in Alisson Becker’s understudy once more should we reach Wembley for the second time this season.
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