NORWICH, ENGLAND - Tuesday, September 21, 2021: Liverpool's Takumi Minamino (#18) celebrates with team-mates after scoring the first goal during the Football League Cup 3rd Round match between Norwich City FC and Liverpool FC at Carrow Road. Liverpool won 3-0. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool can break record and extend English dominance with League Cup win

Liverpool take on Chelsea in the League Cup final today, with victory at Wembley seeing them break a record for the most triumphs in the history of this tournament.

Liverpool are playing in a record 13th League Cup final, four more than Aston Villa, Man City, Man United, Tottenham and now Chelsea.

Liverpool could win the trophy for a record ninth time – they are currently level with Man City.

They could extend their record as English football’s most successful football club. They have won 48 major trophies to Man United’s 45.

 

Liverpool at Wembley

LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 4, 2019: Liverpool players climb the steps to pick up their runners-up medals after the penalty shoot out to decide the FA Community Shield match between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC at Wembley Stadium. Manchester City won 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

This is Liverpool’s 41st Wembley appearance. They have won 19 and lost 15.

They have lost each of their last two visits – to Man City and Arsenal on penalties in the 2019 and 2020 Community Shield respectively.

The Reds have only won one of their last seven visits to the national stadium, beating Tottenham in the Premier League in 2018 – Gini Wijnaldum and Roberto Firmino scoring the goals.

Liverpool have not kept a clean sheet in the last dozen visits to Wembley since the 1992 FA Cup final victory over Sunderland.

 

Young and old

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, February 6th, 2022: Liverpool's Harvey Elliott celebrates after scoring the third goal during the FA Cup 4th Round match between Liverpool FC and Cardiff City FC at Anfield. Liverpool won 3-1. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Should he play, Harvey Elliott at the age of 18 years, 329 days will become the youngest-ever player to appear for Liverpool at Wembley and the first 18-year-old to appear for the Reds in a major final.

Should Elliott score, he will be the youngest Reds player ever to score at Wembley, breaking the record set by the 20 years, 144 days old Ian Rush against Tottenham in the 1982 League Cup final.

James Milner could become the oldest Liverpool player ever to appear at Wembley at the age of 36 years, 54 days, beating Kenny Dalglish by 22 days.

The oldest player to score for the club at Wembley is Dirk Kuyt, aged 31 years, 219 days, against Cardiff in the 2012 League Cup final.

 

A guaranteed first

Jurgen Klopp celebrates, fist pumps, the Kop (Image: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo)

Today will be the first domestic final in England to feature two German managers.

No German manager has ever lifted the League Cup.

 

Specialists

NORWICH, ENGLAND - Tuesday, September 21, 2021: Liverpool's Takumi Minamino scores the first goal during the Football League Cup 3rd Round match between Norwich City FC and Liverpool FC at Carrow Road. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Takumi Minamino has scored six goals in his seven League Cup games for the Reds.

He is their leading scorer in the League Cup this season with four goals, one more than Diogo Jota.

Jota scored the two goals in the semi-final at Arsenal that took them to this final and has three goals in three League Cup appearances this season.

Divock Origi has scored 11 goals in his 15 League Cup appearances for the Reds.

 

Today’s referee

Stuart Attwell refereed the League One playoff final at Wembley in 2016 between Barnsley and Millwall.

Liverpool have lost one of the 15 games he has taken charge of.

 

This season’s scorers

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, February 23, 2022: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (C) celebrates with team-mates Luis Díaz (L) and Sadio Mané (R) after scoring the third goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool: Salah 27, Jota 17, Mane 13, Firmino 8, Minamino 7, Fabinho 6, Origi 5, Henderson 3, Keita 3, Oxlade-Chamberlain 3, Van Dijk 3, Alexander-Arnold 2, Thiago 2, Diaz 1, Elliott 1, Gordon 1, Jones 1, Matip 1, Robertson 1, own goals 1

Chelsea: Lukaku 10, Jorginho 9, Havertz 7, Mount 7, Ziyech 7, Werner 6, James 5, Pulisic 4, Chalobah 3, Chilwell 3, Hudson-Odoi 3, Rudiger 3, Thiago Silva 3, own goals 3, Alonso 2, Kante 2, Christensen 2, Kovacic 2, Azpilicueta 1


* Stats courtesy of LFC statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).