Liverpool vs. Man City
Venue: Wembley Stadium
Kick off: 5:30pm
Liverpool and Manchester City do battle for the first piece of English silverware on Sunday (today) as they contest the League Cup final at Wembley.
Liverpool have won the competition three more times than any other side, while City are looking for a second triumph in three years.
The Reds are going for a ninth success in the League Cup since its introduction 55 years ago, with their last triumph in 2012 following a penalty-shootout win over Cardiff City.
Liverpool are in the final after wins over Carlisle United, Bournemouth, Southampton and Stoke City.
They only managed one goal in the ties against Carlisle, Bournemouth and Stoke, needing penalties in the third round and semi-finals, while their 6-1 fifth-round win at Southampton was by far the pick of the lot.
The Reds’ win four years ago was the last time they won a trophy and should they win on Sunday, it would be just four months after Jurgen Klopp succeeded Brendan Rodgers in charge at Anfield.
With 12 matches of the season remaining, Liverpool are eighth in the table as Klopp has not really improved their league form from the time under Rodgers earlier this season, and their upcoming fixtures look nasty on paper.
After today’s final they play City again at Anfield on Wednesday night before matches against Crystal Palace, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as two fixtures that need to be rearranged against Merseyside rivals Everton and defending Premier League champions Chelsea.
While Liverpool have laboured in getting to the final, City have been scoring goals for fun this year in the League Cup and only encountered real problems in the semi-finals against Everton.
Sunderland (1-4), Crystal Palace (5-1) and Hull City (4-1) were all beaten comfortably before the Toffees gave Manuel Pellegrini’s men a real test last month.
Everton led 2-1 after the first leg and then moved two goals in front with the opener at the Etihad, but City fought back and sealed progress thanks to the ever-reliable Sergio Aguero.
City got to the final three times in the 1970s, winning twice (1970, 1976), but then endured a 38-year wait for their next appearance in 2014 when they defeated Sunderland at Wembley for what was Pellegrini’s first piece of silverware as manager.
Liverpool possible starting lineup: Mignolet, Clyne, Toure, Lovren, Moreno, Henderson, Can, Milner, Firmino, Coutinho, Sturridge.
Man City possible starting lineup: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Otamendi, Clichy, Fernando, Fernandinho, Silva, Toure, Sterling, Aguero.