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Liverpool Win League Cup As Van Dijk Strikes Late To Sink Chelsea

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Liverpool players pose with the trophy after the English League Cup final football match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Wembley stadium, in London, on February 25, 2024. Virgil van Dijk scored the only goal deep into extra-time as Liverpool won the League Cup for a record tenth time. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)

Liverpool won the League Cup in dramatic fashion as Virgil van Dijk’s header late in extra-time sealed a 1-0 win against Chelsea at Wembley on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp’s injury-hit side finished a gruelling clash with a host of raw youngsters on the pitch, but it was their experienced captain who clinched the club’s 10th League Cup triumph.

Van Dijk earlier had a goal controversially disallowed by VAR, but the Dutch defender pounced to nod home with just two minutes left.

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It was Liverpool’s first trophy following Klopp’s bombshell announcement that he will step down at the end of this season.

The German will hope Liverpool’s first silverware since the 2022 FA Cup will be the springboard for an incredible farewell tour.

Quadruple-chasing Liverpool sit top of the Premier League, face Southampton in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday and take on Sparta Prague in the Europa League last 16.

It was another bitter Wembley experience for Chelsea, who lost the 2022 League Cup and FA Cup finals against Liverpool.

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Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino has asked Chelsea fans not to judge him on “winning titles” in the midst of a troubled first season in charge.

But Chelsea remain without domestic silverware since the 2018 FA Cup and had only themselves to blame after missing a host of chances in normal time.

Ravaged by injuries to 11 players, Liverpool’s list of star absentees included Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson Becker, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Dominik Szoboszlai.

That meant starts for 20-year-olds Conor Bradley and Harvey Elliott, while six of Klopp’s substitutes were 21 or younger.

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Chelsea’s Serbian goalkeeper #28 Djordje Petrovic dives but is unable to prevent a header from Liverpool’s Dutch defender #04 Virgil van Dijk (not pictured) beating him during the English League Cup final football match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Wembley stadium, in London, on February 25, 2024. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)

– Goals Ruled Out –
Despite their youthful line-up, Liverpool settled quickly as Luis Diaz led the charge.

Taking advantage of Chelsea’s hesitant defending, Diaz advanced into the area for a fierce strike that forced a good save from Djordje Petrovic.

Against the run of play, Chelsea should have taken the lead with their first incisive raid.

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Conor Gallagher’s cross deflected to Cole Palmer just six yards out, but his strike produced a superb save from Caoimhin Kelleher.

Ryan Gravenberch joined Liverpool’s ever-growing injury list when he was stretchered off after the midfielder’s leg twisted awkwardly in a challenge with Moises Caicedo.

Raheem Sterling thought he had given Chelsea the lead with a close-range finish from Nicolas Jackson’s cross, but the goal was disallowed for a tight offside against the Senegal striker before his assist.

Responding to Chelsea’s improvement, Liverpool were inches away from taking the lead through Cody Gakpo, whose glancing header from Andrew Robertson’s cross hit the far post.

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Liverpool kept coming and Bradley’s goalbound shot was brilliantly blocked by Levi Colwill, who threw himself into the fray to repel the close-range effort.

Liverpool looked to have broken the deadlock on the hour when Van Dijk climbed above Ben Chilwell to head in Robertson’s free-kick.

But VAR intervened, prompting referee Chris Kavanagh to disallow the goal for offside against Wataru Endo, who blocked Colwill from marking the Dutch defender.

Axel Disasi should have rubbed salt into Liverpool’s wounds but the Chelsea defender made a complete hash of a close-range chance.

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Chelsea went close again as Gallagher met Palmer’s cross with a flick that cannoned off the far post.

Gallagher wasted a golden opportunity to win it in the final minutes, receiving Palmer’s pass in acres of space but taking a heavy touch that allowed Kelleher to save.

In a pulsating finale, Kelleher made two more saves from Palmer and Christopher Nkunku in quick succession to force extra-time.

Bobby Clark, James McConnell, Jarell Quansah and Jayden Danns were all on by now, but if Liverpool’s youngsters lacked Chelsea’s experience, they were never overawed.

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Danns almost guided his header over Petrovic and Elliott was inches away when he volleyed against the post.

Liverpool would not be denied and with penalties just two minutes away, Van Dijk met Kostas Tsimikas’s corner with a header that flashed past Petrovic as Klopp raised his arms with a smile that bordered on disbelief.

AFP

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Osimhen fires brace in Galatasaray away win

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Victor Osimhen scored twice as Galatasaray thrashed Kayserispor 5-1 in their Turkish Super Lig clash on Sunday.

Osimhen gave Okan Buruk’s side the lead from the penalty spot in the fourth minute.

The 25-year-old netted his side’s fourth goal of the day 19 minutes from time.

The powerful striker has now scored 12 goals and provided five assists across all competitions for the Yellow and Reds this season.

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Baris Yilmaz (brace) and Yunus Akgun were the other goal scorers for Galatasaray in the game.

Galatasaray remain top of the standings with 44 points from 16 games.

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Liverpool thrash Tottenham in nine-goal thriller

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Liverpool swept four points clear at the top of the Premier League as Mohamed Salah’s masterclass inspired a memorable 6-3 rout of Tottenham on Sunday.

Salah delivered a sublime performance featuring two goals and a pair of assists as Arne Slot’s side ran riot in north London.

Liverpool took advantage of second-placed Chelsea’s 0-0 draw at Everton earlier in the day to cement their status as title favourites heading into the Christmas period.

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Bournemouth humble Man United 3-0 at Old Trafford

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Manchester United crashed to a humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday as Ruben Amorim lost for the fourth time in his nine games in charge of the troubled Old Trafford club.

United boss Ruben Amorim, who once again left Marcus Rashford out of his squad, is set for a miserable Christmas following the worst result of his brief reign.

Languishing in 13th place, United have suffered four defeats in nine matches in all competitions since Amorim arrived from Sporting Lisbon in November to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag.

United’s second successive loss after their League Cup exit at Tottenham on Thursday underlined Amorim’s belief that their road back to the top will be long and arduous.

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United, who have conceded first in their last six games, were booed off at half-time, while the final whistle was greeted by more jeers from the few fans who stayed until the bitter end.

While it is far too early to pass judge on Amorim, the Portuguese coach cannot afford many more results like this if he is to keep the players and fans on his side.

Amorim’s decision to play without Rashford for the third consecutive game will face fresh scrutiny after United’s wretched performance.

Amorim surprisingly omitted the 27-year-old England forward from the squad for United’s win at Manchester City last weekend, prompting Rashford to hint he was willing to leave the club for a “new challenge”.

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Rashford was at Old Trafford wearing a United tracksuit amid his extended exile as Amorim made six changes from the line-up beaten 4-3 by Tottenham in the League Cup quarter-finals.

Again, United were exposed at set-pieces in the 29th minute when Bournemouth’s teenage defender Dean Huijsen punished poor marking at a free-kick to glance a header past Andre Onana.

There was even worse to come for Amorim in the second half as Justin Kluivert doubled fifth-placed Bournemouth’s advantage with a 61st minute penalty following Noussair Mazraoui’s foul on the forward.

Antoine Semenyo compounded United’s misery two minutes later with a cool finish from Dango Ouattara’s pass.

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