Chelsea vs Liverpool LIVE: Carabao Cup final result and reaction after Virgil van Dijk scores the winning goal in extra time

In the end it was a team that was only seen together on the pitch in pre-season friendly games. There were Jayden Danns, James McConnell and Bobby Clark, who between them play twice in the Liverpool first team. And they took on Chelsea having spent a billion pounds in the most expensive revamp in the history of football.

But money couldn’t buy Chelsea a trophy or the spirit, ambition and determination of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side. The first trophy of the season, the first of a possible quadrupling, went to Klopp’s kindergarten, to the children who left Chelsea with a billion regrets. This was another example of Klopp’s ability to stage the unlikely. The final chapters of his story may be just as amazing as some of the earlier ones.

“We have to take positives, apply pressure and use this type of game to learn and get better. I think we were really competitive, if you don’t score with the chances we had it’s difficult to win the final.

“That’s why we lost the final, we have to be ice cold in front of goal and we congratulate Liverpool and keep going. “The way you lose is so painful but now we have to keep going, keep going.

“They shot and we didn’t shoot.”

“We created four, five, six great chances and didn’t score a goal. In a game like today and in a final, scoring first is a big advantage. We didn’t score a goal and that’s a small problem. We conceded a goal in the last minute and it’s difficult to react.

“They (the players) are professionals, they have to feel the pain. We played for a trophy that we didn’t get. They must feel the pain as much as we do.

“The players feel the disappointment because we were so close to winning the game after 90 minutes.”

“There were two teams fighting very hard and the referee didn’t have the level of play. It wasn’t even a foul?! Then the fourth official explains that we can’t give a card… good idea. This situation was obvious to me, everything you need for a card.

“They did an X-ray (on Gravenberch), it wasn’t broken but the ligaments took some damage. I’m actually feeling really bad, but everything else is really good.

“We don’t have a team for Wednesday (FA Cup game against Southampton) at the moment. The boys who were substituted may be able to play again, the rest will be dealt with on Monday.

“I love this country more than anything, but the schedule is not designed to win much. We’ll see the price we have to pay, but we’ll fight for everything and then we’ll see what comes next.

“Somehow there will be a team wearing Liverpool shirts against Southampton.

“I finally found my family in the stands, they were very happy. I have to process the rest.”

“What happened here was absolutely crazy, something like that is not possible. The team, a squad, an academy full of character. I’m so proud I could be a part of it tonight.”

“The craziest thing is that we deserve it. We had moments of happiness, they had moments of happiness. The guys came, it was really cool.”

“I’m sure we all brought kids! We needed fresh legs, they were fresh but very young, but they did their job.”

“The boys have trained with us for a long time, they know exactly what we have to do. They’re a pain in the ass, to be honest, you have to be in these moments. But not just her, how about Harvey Elliot.” For 120 minutes, (Wataru) Endo walked to the ceremony with the stiffest legs.

“We didn’t mention Conor (Bradley), he was so good. Caoimhin (Kelleher), he was so good. We have the best goalkeeper in the world and the best number two.”

“These are the moments you dream about. It’s better for the heart than punishment! Another great moment for me, I’m very happy.

“We’re not going to get ahead of ourselves, but it’s great for momentum. We’re in a good place right now.

“He (Virgil van Dijk) is incredible, always fit, always there for us. He pushes us to win more trophies.”

“Wonderful, a great evening. We got the job done, I’m proud of the team.

“He (Caoinhim Kelleher) is world class and has improved again today. He is a good goalkeeper, which is what we need at a club like Liverpool.

“When you’re younger and you get a chance, you have to grab it with both hands. They should use this to move on and I’m sure they will. They should keep pushing to get into the first team and become part of the squad. Being a teenager has only advantages.

“I won’t comment too soon, but hopefully we can win a few more. The talk about it being Klopp’s last season is not coming from within the squad, but from outside.”

And so the long walk began.

Head dropped, shoulders slumped and Conor Gallagher ran his hand over his face one last time, the pain of his three missed shots in the Carabao Cup final deep in his eyes. Chelsea are still waiting for the domestic title and their Wembley curse continues, with four final defeats in a row, three of them now against Liverpool.

But on another day, Gallagher would have been a worthy match-winner for this Chelsea, a symbol of a new era. He came away exhausted and very well for the most part in an otherwise sloppy and disjointed performance from his team, but three lung-bursting runs into the Liverpool penalty area produced three chances.

Caoimhin Kelleher’s heroics against Chelsea? Check. VAR-guided disallowed goals? Check. Woodwork hit by both teams? Check again. And above all, the unusual sight of Liverpool failing to repeat their usual successes in the final third, both in terms of creating chances and, more importantly, taking advantage of them.

For a club that typically scores over 100 goals per season – in the 2023/24 season they had already reached the hundred mark by this game – they look unlikely to be powerless in the penalty box in the cup final. Even last year, when the cup final was still a long way off, the Reds scored 103 points in all competitions.