Liverpool beat Chelsea 1-0 in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday thanks to Virgil van Dijk's extra-time goal, ensuring they end Jurgen Klopp's final season with a silver medal.
The exciting final match, in which goals from both teams were disallowed by VAR, remained scoreless after 90 minutes, but in the 28th minute of extra time, Liverpool's captain took a glancing header from a corner kick. The decision was made.
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Liverpool entered the final without 10 first-team players due to injury, including Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez. But they competed bravely to see off Chelsea, with the cheers of their raucous supporters.
The win kept Liverpool's hopes of achieving an unlikely quadruple alive and clinched a record-extending 10th Carabao Cup victory.
Chelsea's place in the final was a glimmer of hope for manager Mauricio Pochettino after a difficult first season in charge of the west London side, but Sunday's defeat meant the former Tottenham manager still has no trophies to his name in England. I haven't been able to do it.
Pochettino's side got off to a shaky start to the final, but almost took the lead in the 21st minute through Cole Palmer, whose close-range shot was brilliantly saved by Caoihin Kelleher.
Liverpool's already under-strength side suffered a further blow when Ryan Gravenbirch withstood a fierce challenge from Moises Caicedo and was forced to be replaced by Joe Gomez in the 28th minute.
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Raheem Sterling thought he had given Chelsea the lead in the 31st minute, but the assistant referee correctly recognized that Nicholas Jackson had gone offside moments earlier when he had broken free and crossed for the England forward. .
Meanwhile, Djordje Petrovic was sucked into the frame after Kodi Gakpo's header from Andy Robertson's cross, but it hit Far Right. It was this post that gave Liverpool the lead.
In the 10th minute, Van Dijk hit a powerful header from Robertson's free kick, and the red team at Wembley erupted into enthusiastic jubilation, but after a lengthy VAR check, Wataru Endo was ruled offside. The goal was canceled.
The reprieve seemed to strengthen Chelsea's resolve, but Chelsea almost took the lead in the 77th minute when Conor Gallagher's shot from a pass from Palmer hit the far post.
The pair combined to create a clear chance in the 85th minute, but Gallagher was denied by a great save from Kelleher.
Klopp's lack of options on the bench was made clear by late substitutions, with teenagers James McConnell and Jaden Duns coming on for Alexis Mac Allister and Gakpo respectively.
Dans, who made his Liverpool debut against Luton Town last week, came close to scoring in extra time but his header was deflected over the bar by Djordje Petrovic.
As Chelsea slowed, Liverpool continued to look for goal and Harvey Elliott came close to scoring, but his header at the far post was well deflected by Petrovic.
