Chelsea tackle Liverpool within the FA Cup final tonight (4.45pm) trying to avenge their Carabao Cup final loss at Wembley to the Reds in February. Eight-time FA Cup winners Chelsea have been in the ultimate of this competition in each of the last two seasons but lost to Arsenal and Leicester, while Liverpool haven’t contested a final of England’s most prestigious tournament for a decade, having lost to the Blues at this same venue in 2012.
That is the fourth meeting between Thomas Tuchel’s European champions and Jurgen Klopp’s League Cup holders this term, with neither of the 2 sides winning against the opposite inside 90 minutes. There was a 1-1 Premier League draw at Anfield and a 2-2 stalemate within the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge.
Within the Carabao Cup final in February, the teams drew 0-0 after overtime before Liverpool won 11-10 on penalties with Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga sending his spot-kick well over the crossbar.
Having lifted that trophy already, Liverpool can move one step closer to a cup treble this term. They face Real Madrid within the Champions League final on May 28. A quadruple can be not yet out of the realms of possibility, although they may need other teams to do them a favour and trip up leaders Manchester City.
Chelsea, meanwhile, want to crown the season with more silverware after lifting the Club World Cup, though they suffered disappointment within the Champions League against Real Madrid within the quarter-finals. And so they have been well adrift of City and Liverpool within the title race.
Tuchel said to BBC Sport pre-match: “Just a little bit [we have added motivation]. We is not going to get the Carabao Cup back. We were pleased with how we played. There needs to be a loser, unfortunately it was us. It was an unusual game and there have been no regrets.
“The sensation of revenge is just not very big. We haven’t got the sensation we should always’ve done higher. It was never like this, even straight after. But we wish to win it. We played two domestic finals, lost one, the second is large now. Liverpool are considered one of the strongest teams on the earth so it’s a giant one and I’m very excited.”
While Klopp reflected: “Chelsea are a very, really well-coached team. They’ve an idea for all different areas of the sport, that is the way it is. They’re very organised defensively and offensively they’ve a lot talent. It’s totally interesting to arrange, to be honest. We play a final, an FA Cup final and it could be an actual surprise if we met a weak team in that final.”
Express Sport provides live updates of the 2022 FA Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool below.
