Mario Melchiot has specified one thing that he’s hoping not to see in the Carabao Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea on Sunday.
The ex-Blues defender is confident that his former club can get the better of Jurgen Klopp’s side, although he admits to being ‘worried’ about the possibility of a penalty shoot-out, just as there was when the Reds bettered the west Londoners at the same stage two years ago.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, the 47-year-old predicted Mauricio Pochettino’s team to ‘squeeze a 2-1 victory’ but warned that ‘If it comes to penalties I’m a little worried, so they have to get it won in the game.’
You can understand why Melchiot would be fearful of the match tomorrow going to penalties, given the history between the two clubs when that scenario arises.
Aside from both domestic cup finals in 2022, Liverpool also won penalty shootouts against Chelsea in the 2019 UEFA Super Cup and 2007 Champions League semi-finals, with the Reds boasting a 100% record over the west Londoners in that regard (lfchistory.net).
Klopp’s team have also won on each of the last four occasions that they’ve been taken to spot kicks, with Arsenal the last team to defeat them by that method in the 2020/21 Carabao Cup (Transfermarkt).
Another reason why Melchiot must be eager to avoid penalties is the man we’ll have in goals. Caoimhin Kelleher, this competition and a penalty shootout is a combination which has brought us plenty of joy in the past, most notably against Chelsea in the final of this competition two years ago.
History might favour Liverpool if the trophy is to be decided by spot kicks again tomorrow, but given the injury pile-up at Anfield and the quick turnaround to the FA Cup tie against Southampton on Wednesday, hopefully the Reds can get the job done inside 90 minutes at Wembley.