Having won the trophy a record 10 times (and twice in the past three years), the Reds’ love affair with a competition often derided as the lowest priority for top-end Premier League clubs is obvious, as evidenced by the joyous scenes after victory over Chelsea in the final last season.
Arne Slot is experiencing the tournament for the first time in his debut campaign in England, and while he’s followed the lead of so many others by fielding much-changed line-ups thus far, he certainly can’t be accused of treating it with disrespect.
Slot itching to win Carabao Cup
Speaking to Sky Sports after last night’s win at St Mary’s, the Liverpool head coach insisted that his team have an obligation to keep hold of the trophy that they won under Jurgen Klopp 10 months ago.
Slot said: “We have to defend the trophy because the club won it last season. I wasn’t involved but the players were, and Jurgen of course with his staff.
“We want to compete in every [tournament] and this is one of them, so we’re happy that we reached the semi-final, although we’re also aware of Newcastle, Arsenal and either Tottenham or Manchester United. It’s always a tough competition and this time, for sure.”
Liverpool celebrate winning the 2023/24 Carabao Cup final
(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Carabao Cup is well worth winning
The Carabao Cup is often perceived as the poor relation in comparison to the Premier League, Champions League and even the FA Cup, but its value to clubs shouldn’t be underestimated.
It offers a chance for a trophy to be secured relatively early in the season and affords oppprtunities to peripheral and younger players to get valuable game-time, along with giving established stars a well-earned rest in the earlier rounds.
Slot seems clued in to Liverpool’s rich history in this tournament, and the only four clubs to win it in the last 11 years are all members of the Premier League’s so-called ‘big 6′ (LFC, Chelsea and the Manchester duo), so it’d be wrong to suggest that the elite don’t take it seriously.
The Reds are now just a two-legged semi-final away from yet another trip to Wembley, where victory over the Blues provided the highlight of Klopp’s final season at Anfield.
It’d seem a most appropriate bridge between eras if the German’s last trophy as our manager were also to be Slot’s first at the club in three months’ time.
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