Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Connor O'Neill

Caoimhin Kelleher sends Chelsea message to Jurgen Klopp after Liverpool reach Carabao Cup final

Caoimhin Kelleher is hoping he will get the nod from Jurgen Klopp to start for Liverpool in next month’s Carabao Cup final with Chelsea.

Kelleher is currently the Reds' back-up keeper behind Alisson Becker, having overtaken Adrian in the pecking order at the club at the start of the season.

The Republic of Ireland international was his side’s standout performer in their penalty shootout win over Leicester City in last month's quarter-final tie at Anfield.

And after sitting on the bench for the semi-final first-leg at Anfield last week, Kelleher returned to the Reds’ starting line-up for the return leg against Arsenal at the Emirates last night.

IAN DOYLE: Jurgen Klopp must keep squad promise at Wembley as new leader emerges

PAUL GORST: Arsenal fans get it badly wrong as Diogo Jota genius fires Liverpool to Wembley

Liverpool ran out 2-0 winners thanks to a brace from Diogo Jota, and Kelleher is hoping he will get the chance to start at Wembley next month.

“Hopefully, but we’ll see,” the Irishman replied when asked about his chances of starting in the final.

“There’s a few weeks now until the final so I’ll keep training hard and see what happens and see if I get the nod.”

The game will be the first time Liverpool have played a cup final at Wembley for six years, and Kelleher says his team-mates were 'buzzing' after the game.

He said: “It’s a great feeling and everyone’s buzzing in the dressing room. A great result here away, a 2-0 win so we’re all buzzing and looking forward to Wembley now.

*Give us your LFC player ratings:

“It’s another final and a final is a final. We are buzzing… this club obviously wants to win trophies and it’s a chance to win another trophy. So we will go there, give it everything we have and hopefully we can win.”

Before the goalkeeper added: "It was really good. I thought in the first half we played some really good football and obviously we got the goal, a great Jots goal.

“Second half they came at us a bit more like we thought they would and we defended well when we had to and obviously then Jots got another great goal which kind of settled it for us.”

The youngster made an excellent save to tip a free-kick from Alexandre Lacazette to safety during the first-half as the Gunners piled on the pressure.

“Obviously I’m really happy when I can make saves to keep the team in it and keep us in with a chance,” Kelleher said on the save.

“That save, it was an important moment to keep us at 0-0 and Jots goes and scores for us. I was really happy to make that save.”

Jota opened the scoring after just 19 minutes when his scuffed shot after a fine run beat scrambling Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale.

The forward’s second goal came with 15 minutes remaining, however he was made to wait for a VAR review after his effort was initially ruled out for offside, but Kelleher always thought the goal would be given.

“I saw the reaction from Jots as soon as he scored and I thought maybe he will be onside because you can kind of tell from the players,” he recalled to Liverpoolfc.com.

“I looked to the bench and they were kind of celebrating as well so then I was kind of happy as well.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.