As in 2022, Liverpool will try this season to take on an improbable challenge: winning four titles. Two years ago, the Reds came close to achieving this feat, winning the League Cup and the FA Cup, before finally finishing second in the Premier League and falling in the Champions League final ( against Real Madrid, 0-1). This year, Jürgen Klopp’s players are still in the race to achieve this full success, since they are leaders of the Premier League, still in the race in the FA Cup and in the Cup, and because they qualified this Wednesday evening for the League Cup final.
The Cottagers first jostled Liverpool for ten minutes, the time for Caoimhin Kelleher (who replaced Alisson in the League Cup) to push back dangerous crosses (7th and 10th) and for Palhinha, surprisingly alone at the heart of the Reds’ defense on a corner, misses his recovery (8th). But Luis Diaz broke this momentum by opening the scoring: following a splendid opening from Jarell Quansah, the Colombian took advantage of a hesitation from Timothy Castagne to land a shot at the near post, which, after being deflected, deceived Bernd Leno (0-1, 11th).
The inexhaustible Palhinha
Then, Fulham seemed to completely lose track, returning a considerable number of balls to Liverpool, who were thus able to calmly control the match in the first half, without creating any significant chances. In the second half, Marco Silva’s men, led by an inexhaustible Palhinha, were more vehement, but Andreas Pereira, following a deflection of Tosin Adarabioyo’s header, found the post (53rd).
Finally the Cottagers managed to wrap up the end of the match, the Frenchman Issa Diop managing to equalize from the thigh (1-1, 77th), by taking a cross from Harry Wilson, author of a remarkable entry into play (67th) . He didn’t come close to scoring, but his long-range attempt was deflected by Kelleher (80th).
The remake of the 2022 finale
But this awakening was ultimately too late and it was therefore the Reds who won their ticket for the League Cup final, which they will play on February 25, at Wembley, against Chelsea, who eliminated Middlesbrough on Tuesday evening (0-1, 6-1). The two teams faced each other at the same stage of the competition, in 2022, when Liverpool was already dreaming of a quadruple. At the time, Salah and his teammates won on penalties after a match rich in chances, but poor in goals (0-0, 11-10 on penalties).
