On Saturday night, the EFL Cup final is being held at Wembley, and a summit clash between Chelsea and Liverpool is about to start. The match is a repeat of the EFL Cup final, which Liverpool won on penalties, and the strength of the two sides is evident. Chelsea is determined to win the title, while Liverpool will have to be careful despite the pressure of playing on multiple fronts. The last three encounters between the two teams ended in half-time draws, and with this rematch, perhaps half-time draws will still be the norm. (Live on TVB Jade at 11:45pm on Saturday)
Chelsea and Liverpool met again in the final of the EFL Cup at the end of February, and the 120-minute battle ended in a 0-0 draw, with Liverpool narrowly winning on penalties, and Chelsea regretfully missing out on the title. The two rounds of this season's Premier League encounter also ended in a 2-2 and 1-1 draw, showing that the strength of the two teams is comparable, and it's not easy to separate the winners from the losers. This time the meeting again, if the legal time to play and even into the penalty shootout, is not impossible.
The biggest difference between Chelsea this time around and the last final was the change of ownership of the club. Russian tycoon Abramovich completed the sale and the 19-year Abu era came to an end, with new American tycoon Todd Boehly taking over. If Chelsea can win the EFL Cup immediately, it will be the best gift to the new owner. Despite Chelsea's 3-0 win over Leeds United on the road in midweek, they face a much stronger Liverpool side, and with midfield centerpiece Ko Wah Sik injured, manager Duc Thao must remind his players to remain cautious so as not to undo their work.
Liverpool's path to a multi-front war
Liverpool are on their way to an unprecedented 4 titles, but despite a 2-1 away win against Aston Villa in their last EPL match, they are still 3 points behind Manchester City in the league, and their chances of winning the title are not great. As they have to fight on many fronts, and midfielder Fabinho was injured in the last match, leader Gopp will also ask his players to keep stable so as not to affect the following matches. The last three meetings between the two teams ended in half-time draws, so this final will not be taken lightly, and a half-time draw seems likely.
