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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Paul Gorst

Liverpool scenes of celebration at Wembley were every bit as joyous as they looked

The press were sitting just to the left of the Reds fans at the national stadium last weekend and the party for the 33,000 started from the second Kepa Arrizabalga's penalty sailed over the crossbar and into their end.

And the party playlist was like being transported back to July 2020 when the Reds lifted the Premier League as the likes of Robin S, Kanye West and Dua Lipa could all be heard from the DJ's booth at Wembley.

The biggest rendition of the afternoon was reserved for You'll Never Walk Alone, of course. It had rarely sounded as triumphant, certainly not in the last two years, at least.

Liverpool players soaked up every last bit of it all on the pitch before continuing the party in the dressing room, which was memorable for the jig performed by Pep Lijnders!

The assistant manager was even kind enough to allow a couple of fans to get their picture with him and the Cup while Jurgen Klopp was doing his post-match media duties.

It'd been a long time since Klopp had been given the chance to celebrate with Liverpool's fans and Sunday's scenes were in fact the first time he had been able to toast to a domestic trophy in front of his supporters.

It was a great day for all fans who made the journey down and the fan park zones that the organisers had set up created a wonderful atmosphere for those in attendance before the game.

The mood in a nearby hotel bar after the game - lubricated by several pints, naturally - was also buoyant as supporters marked the club's first League Cup success for 10 years in style in the capital.

Liverpool's players were given Monday off for their efforts but were back at it on Tuesday as the games continue to come thick and fast for the new Carabao Cup kings.

Ten changes in total were made for the win over Norwich as the Reds moved into the quarter-final of the FA Cup where they will now travel to either Huddersfield Town or Nottingham Forest later this month.

Before that game, I was down at the Kirkby Academy to watch the Under-19s book their place into the last eight of another competition.

The young Reds beat Genk on penalties to set up a quarter-final clash with Juventus in the UEFA Youth League and it was great to see another successful shootout for the club this week.

I was also at Anfield on Thursday too to get a close-up glimpse of the Carabao Cup as the club invited members of the press who had covered the competition to get their picture with the trophy itself.

I was last there at the Kop Bar at Anfield to view the Premier League trophy in 2020 and who's to say Thursday's visit will be the last time we'll be down there this season with so much still to chase?

Friday saw the return of the 'traditional' press conference at Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp addressed the media away from the Zoom cameras ahead of Saturday's visit from West Ham United at Anfield.

It's been a long time since the manager spoke only to the reporters in the room so it was great to get back to the 'old way' of working, chatting to the Liverpool manager in a somewhat more intimate capacity alongside just a handful of others.

It was also a pleasure to speak to former Liverpool superstar Michael Owen this week about a range of topics. We chatted about Luis Diaz, the hunt for the quadruple and why the Reds are still, somehow, going under the radar when it comes to the Champions League.

Again, keep an eye out for all the best bits from that conversation with the ex-Reds striker.

Liverpool can't and won't rest on their laurels though. This season still promises loads so the hard work goes on for now.

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