Posted by In the League Cup final on Sunday against Chelsea, Liverpool is aiming for a “special” victory as Jurgen Klopp approaches the first significant point in his protracted farewell.
Following his shocking statement that he would be leaving his position as manager of Liverpool at the end of the current season, Klopp is in his final season in that role.
Despite Klopp’s conviction that he is no longer able to lead Liverpool in their unrelenting pursuit of championship glory, his team’s fortunes have not declined as many would have predicted in the wake of his shocking disclosure.
Since the 56-year-old announced his intention to retire, Liverpool has won five of their six games across all competitions, scoring 21 goals along the way.
Liverpool would win their first trophy since 2022 if they continue their winning streak at Wembley this weekend, when they defeated Chelsea in the FA Cup and League Cup finals.
During his historic nine-year tenure, Klopp won six major trophies, and his quadruple-chasing squad are eager to bid him a trophy-filled farewell.
In addition to their match against Chelsea this weekend, Liverpool leads the Premier League by four points, will play Southampton in the FA Cup’s fifth round on Wednesday, and will play Sparta Prague in the Europa League’s round of 16.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk stated, “We want to make it a special day and get our first trophy of the season.”
“We are not there yet, but the end of the season will probably be very emotional for a lot of people, including the manager.”
Van Dijk called for Pep Lijnders, Klopp’s assistant, to make it a day to remember for their boss.
“We’re going to try it. This is a unique game. We have to concentrate on it since special games require unique performances, according to Lijnders.
“I believe you undervalue our team and its personalities,” he remarked.
“Even if the manager has announced his departure, a lot of these boys haven’t won anything with Liverpool yet, so naturally they give it their all. We can handle that because we are stable enough.
“Dream for us, Chelsea vs. Liverpool,” stated Pochettino.
Lijnders’ comment about a number of Liverpool’s young players who are still waiting to experience success highlights Klopp’s accomplishment in reassembling his team following the departure of James Milner, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, and Roberto Firmino during the preseason, among others.
An increasing injury issue that has the Reds missing Diogo Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones, and Alisson Becker will put their determination to the test at Wembley.
Dominik Szoboszlai, Darwin Nunez, and Mohamed Salah must wait for their late fitness tests.
But for Chelsea, who has been inconsistent, capitalizing on Liverpool’s injury issues may be more difficult said than done.
Mauricio Pochettino’s club lost 4-1 at Anfield in January, becoming one of Liverpool’s victims during their recent goal-scoring rampage.
Anger-filled Chelsea supporters have been criticizing former Tottenham and Southampton manager Pochettino, who has yet to win an English championship, as the team’s difficult season threatens to get out of hand.