Match Day Preview: Carabao Cup Final Chelsea v Liverpool
It’s the Carabao Cup Final, the first domestic silverware of the season is on the line, and both teams will be looking to use the momentum from this game as a springboard for the rest of the season.
We’re live for the final, bringing you the latest news, team news as it comes in, and all the action as it happens.
Chelsea v Liverpool Carabao Cup Final Live Blog
13:40 – Injury Updates
The teams will be announced in 20 minutes, but before then, it is fair to say that both managers have injury problems to deal with.
Liverpool are without Alisson Becker, Curtis Jones, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Thiago Alcantara, Ben Doak, Stefan Bajcetic and Joel Matip.
Chelsea are without Thiago Silva, Marc Cucurella, Reece James, Romeo Lavia, Wesley Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka, Benoit Badiashile and Lesley Ugochukwu.
13:36 – Welcome to the live blog
Welcome to the 101 Great Goals live EFL Cup Final blog, as Chelsea take on Liverpool. We are with you all afternoon bringing you the best of the action from Wembley.
THE SHARPE END: Virgil van Dijk’s not back to his best, he’s even better! Since returning from his serious injury, the Liverpool defender has been flawless
At the start of December, Jurgen Klopp tipped his hat to the heavens. ‘Everyone can see Virg is back and it’s obvious. Thank God!’
Ever since Virgil van Dijk returned from the serious injury he sustained in October 2020, there has been the feeling, or at least the narrative, that he wasn’t quite the same.
Not quite the same guy who, famously, was never dribbled past in the whole 2018-19 season.
Now, though, he is back on top. Erling Haaland said he is the best defender he has played against. Klopp called him the best defender in the world. He has won more aerial duels than any other Premier League defender this season and has been dribbled past the least. The numbers suggest they might be right.
He might be better than ever. He is winning more duels than before his injury and tackling more. He has been dribbled past once in 24 games this season — before his injury it was every 11 games. After his return, it was one in four. He is yet to make an error this season leading to a shot or goal. He has, literally, been flawless.
The numbers back up the high praise being given to Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk
The numbers back up the high praise being given to Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk
He is winning more duels and tackling more since returning from his serious 2020 injury
He is winning more duels and tackling more since returning from his serious 2020 injury
Here at Football FanCast, we’ve taken a look at the top 20 Premier League salaries and just how much each player picks up each week.
The Premier League has attracted plenty of the world’s best players over the years, which has resulted in the money thrown around in England’s top flight going through the roof.
Star performers from England and abroad are collecting crazy amounts of money, but how much do they actually earn from week to week? We’ve taken a look at the top 20 Premier League salaries and just how much each player picks up on a weekly basis.
20 Virgil van Dijk – Liverpool
£220,000-a-week
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.
Beginning the countdown is arguably one of the best defenders the Premier League has ever seen – Virgil van Dijk. The Liverpool star made the move from Southampton in 2018 and has gone from strength to strength in Merseyside. He has an unbelievable record at Anfield and helped the Reds win the title back in 2020.
19 Phil Foden – Manchester City
£225,000-a-week
phil-foden-transfer-gossip-leeds-manchester-city-kian-breckin-Radrizzani
Manchester City gem Phil Foden has progressed through the Etihad Stadium academy and is now one of Pep Guardiola’s most important players.
The 23-year-old has won 16 honours with City – including five Premier League titles and a Champions League – and he penned a new deal back in 2022 which saw his salary increase to £225,000-a-week.
18 Bruno Fernandes – Manchester United
£240,000-a-week
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Attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes has now been with Manchester United for four years and is under contract at Old Trafford until 2026.
The Portugal international took over the captaincy under Erik ten Hag last year from Harry Maguire, however, Fernandes isn’t the highest Red Devils earner, as you will see.
17 Declan Rice – Arsenal
£240,000-a-week
Declan Rice for Arsenal.
Declan Rice is now the most expensive British player of all time following his big-money move across London last year.
The midfielder swapped West Ham for Arsenal in a £105m transfer and also netted an eye-catching salary at the Emirates. Picking up £240,000-a-week across five years, Rice will pocket more than £60m during his north London stay.
16 Martin Odegaard – Arsenal
£240,000-a-week
Martin Odegaard warming up for Arsenal.
Another Gunners star – Martin Odegaard – is also on the same pay as Rice. The Norwegian has become Arsenal’ club captain and has become one of the club’s most important players following his permanent move from Real Madrid in 2021.
Odegaard actually signed a new deal last year, keeping him on the books until 2028.
15 Anthony Martial – Manchester United
£250,000-a-week
Anthony-Martial-Manchester-United
Things haven’t gone well for Anthony Martial at Manchester United in recent years, with the forward struggling with a variety of injuries.
The Frenchman still picks up a huge Old Trafford salary and has since 2019. However, his deal is up in the summer, so Martial’s days in Manchester could well be numbered.
14 Mason Mount – Manchester United
£250,000-a-week
mason-mount-manchester-united-transfer-premier-league
Someone who looks to have a long-term future at Manchester United is Mason Mount, although the midfielder’s first season with the Red Devils hasn’t gone to plan.
Signed from Chelsea in 2023, Mount penned a five-year deal at Old Trafford but has missed large parts of the campaign through injury.
13 Reece James – Chelsea
£250,000-a-week
reece-james-chelsea-premier-league
Another England international who has had their fair share of injury problems is Reece James. The defender was named Chelsea captain last summer but hasn’t had the impact he would’ve been hoping for under Mauricio Pochettino.
James picks up £250,000-a-week at Stamford Bridge and, assuming he remains with the Blues, will do until at least 2028.
12 John Stones – Manchester City
£250,000-a-week
john-stones-chelsea-transfer-gossip-everton-manchester-city-amadou-onana
Yet another England international on the list is John Stones. The defender has gone from strength to strength under Pep Guardiola and played a pivotal role in Manchester City’s treble-winning campaign.
Stones has turned out as a centre-back, right-back and holding midfielder at the Etihad and has been with the club since 2016.
11 Gabriel Jesus – Arsenal
£265,000-a-week
Gabriel-Jesus-Arsenal
Gabriel Jesus left Manchester City to reunite with Mikel Arteta at Arsenal in 2022 in a transfer worth £45m.
The forward was immediately handed a huge Gunners contract and the famous no.9 shirt, with the Brazilian set to pick up £265,000-a-week until 2027.
10 Kai Havertz – Arsenal
£280,000-a-week
sergej-milinkovic-savic-kai-havertz-arsenal
Well-known for scoring the winning goal in the Champions League final for Chelsea against Manchester City, Kai Havertz headed across London to sign for Arsenal last year.
The German penned a five-year deal but has struggled to find the back of the net on a regular basis at the Emirates.
9 Bernardo Silva – Manchester City
£300,000-a-week
Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva.
One of four Manchester City players on £300,000-a-week or more is attacking midfielder Bernardo Silva. Heavily linked with an Etihad exit over recent years, the Portugal international has remained in Manchester, continuing to help City win plenty of trophies.
During his seven-year stay, Silva has made more than 300 appearances for the club, winning 15 honours.
8 Marcus Rashford – Manchester United
£300,000-a-week
rasmus-hojlund-marcus-rashford-manchester-united-opinion
Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is another who earns £300,000-a-week and has done ever since signing new terms last summer.
His previous deal was set to expire in 2024, but he now looks on course to remain at the club until 2028, looking to play a key part of the Sir Jim Ratcliffe era.
7 Jack Grealish – Manchester City
£300,000-a-week
jack-grealish-transfer-gossip-arsenal-brighton-kaoru-mitoma-edu-arteta
Fellow England international Jack Grealish also picks up £300,000-a-week in Manchester following his big-money transfer from Aston Villa to City back in 2021.
After a relatively underwhelming first season, Grealish played a bigger role in his second year, helping the club to a famous treble.
6 Raheem Sterling – Chelsea
£325,000-a-week
Raheem-Sterling-Chelsea
Chelsea signed Raheem Sterling from Manchester City back in 2022 and the winger has gone on to become a regular at Stamford Bridge under a number of different managers.
The Blues paid just under £50m for Sterling’s services and gave him a huge contract over five years.
5 Raphael Varane – Manchester United
£340,000-a-week
Raphael-Varane-Premier-League
Centre-back Raphael Varane was a marquee signing at Old Trafford back in 2021 shortly before former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer left.
Arriving from Real Madrid, the Frenchman hasn’t exactly transformed Manchester United at the back and even recently fell out of favour under Erik ten Hag.
4 Casemiro – Manchester United
£350,000-a-week
casemiro-manchester-united-premier-league
The biggest Manchester United earner is holding midfielder Casemiro, who like Varane, swapped the Bernabeu for Old Trafford.
Like Varane, though, Casemiro is into his 30s, and there have been rumours of a potential exit for the Brazilian, despite being under contract until 2026.
3 Mohamed Salah – Liverpool
£350,000-a-week
mohamed-salah-liverpool-fantasy-premier-league
Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah currently pockets a big salary at Anfield, penning his latest deal back in 2022.
However, he has been of interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia, and with the Egyptian out of contract in 2025, this summer could see him depart the Reds.
2 Erling Haaland – Manchester City
£375,000-a-week
serhou-guirassy-erling-haaland-tottenham-opinion
Erling Haaland has been a revelation at the Etihad since joining from Borussia Dortmund, scoring goals for fun in Pep Guardiola’s side to justify his massive Manchester City wage.
The forward reportedly has a release clause in the region of £173m, so it’ll be interesting to see how long he remains with the Sky Blues.
1 Kevin de Bruyne – Manchester City
£400,000-a-week
kevin-de-bruyne-manchester-city-saudi-pro-league-transfer
Topping the salary charts is Kevin de Bruyne, who is now approaching 10 years as a Manchester City player.
He’s gone from strength to strength after returning to England, which has resulted in his salary increasing to a whopping £400,000-a-week. The midfielder last extended his City contract in 2021.
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