“It will be extremely close” – Mark Lawrenson predicts Carabao Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool ‘to go the distance’ 

BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson has predicted that a penalty shootout will determine the outcome of the Carabao Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea following a 1-1 draw.

The 64-year-old believes the Reds will win the shootout due to goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher's positive track record in saving spot-kicks.

Lawrenson wrote in his column for BBC Sport:

"I have a feeling this game is going to go the distance. Liverpool keeper Caoimhin Kelleher has a history of making saves in penalty shootouts, including against Leicester in the quarter-finals, and I just wonder if this final will end up being settled in the same way."

He added:

"Whoever wins, it will be extremely close. Chelsea will make sure of that, even though their form is not great. They carry much less attacking threat, but they are still solid and have not lost that. Liverpool are on a fantastic run of nine straight wins in all competitions and scoring plenty of goals too, but they might have to be patient at Wembley as they try to break the Blues down."

Chelsea have already secured two trophies this season. They lifted the UEFA Super Cup earlier this season before winning the FIFA Club World Cup a couple of weeks ago.

Thomas Tuchel's side secured a comfortable 3-0 aggregate win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup semi-finals to qualify for the showpiece game at Wembley Stadium.

Liverpool, on the other hand, won 2-0 on aggregate against Arsenal in the semi-finals. They won 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium after the first leg at Anfield finished 0-0.

This will be Jurgen Klopp's second League Cup final since taking over as manager at Anfield. The Reds reached the final in 2016 but suffered a penalty shootout defeat at the hands of Manchester City.

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This is the second time Liverpool and Chelsea are facing one another in a League Cup final

Chelsea and Liverpool have already faced each other in a League Cup final before. This was back in 2005 when a Jose Mourinho-led Blues side secured a 3-2 win over Rafael Benitez's Reds after extra time. Serbian forward Mateja Kezman netted the winner with eight minutes remaining on the clock.

The two sides also faced one another in the 2019 UEFA Super Cup in Istanbul. Liverpool were the winners on that occasion, beating Chelsea in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw after extra time.