Here we go at Wembley.

Thiago is in tears on the bench and being consoled by Alisson after that injury in the warm-up cost him a place in the team.

Liverpool were the losing team in each of their past five fixtures at Wembley when it was a neutral venue (including in all three under Jurgen Klopp).

They have not won a domestic cup since the 2012 League Cup.

There will be a different name on the trophy for the first time since 2017.

That is because Manchester City have won the competition for the past four years - beating Chelsea on penalties in the 2019 final - but were knocked out this season in the fourth round by West Ham.

Chelsea last won in 2015 but it is a decade since Liverpool got their hands on the prize.

Image source, Getty Images

Jordan Henderson says his experience of finals can help younger players in the squad as they get ready to take on Chelsea at Wembley on Sunday.

The 31-year-old midfielder is preparing for his seventh final as a Liverpool player - and a third League Cup final - but says the squad will "treat it as we would any other game".

"We'll just give our all and stay fully focused on what we do as a team," added the Reds captain.

"Of course I can help with my experience and finals I’ve been in. For me, it’s the same. I try to help younger lads to just play football.

"We’ve got big games coming up. At the minute, we’re still in four competitions but that can change very quickly.

"We’re in good form and we need to keep it up."

Both captains have come out with wreaths in the Ukrainian colours in support of the country after they were invaded by Russia.

And now there's a minute's applause from the fans and players for Ukraine.

Plenty of yellow and blue flags in the crowd too.

Great to see.

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea can become the first team to beat a top-flight side in every round of a League Cup-winning campaign.

They have knocked out Aston Villa, Southampton, Brentford and Tottenham.

Jonathan Woodgate
Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

Lukaku hasn't really done it this season; five goals in 17 games in the Premier League. It is up to him to try and change things.

Tuchel has gone with Havertz and I like Havertz. He'll be more difficult for Van Dijk and Matip to play against; he'll drop into little areas, whereas Lukaku would play up against them. It is going to be interesting.

A late change to the Liverpool team. Naby Keita replaces Thiago, who was injured in the warm-up. Harvey Elliott takes a late place on the bench.

Thomas Tuchel says the reason Romelu Lukaku isn't starting today is because he sees it as being about "running behind the line" ie Kai Havertz. He says Lukaku is a good option to have from the bench.

For all Jurgen Klopp's success, his record in cup finals is poor.

He has only won two of his eight finals as a manager with Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, the first one (2012 German Cup) and the most recent one (2019 Champions League).

"It's second time for me in this competition and I have lost so many finals in my life, but the few I won and the ones I lost didn't hold me back to try again," Klopp told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"We realised how big it is during the ride - each round we made, it was always really, really nice.

"In 20 years if you want to talk about this team, I would not be surprised if people would then say if we don't win anything any more, 'yeah they were good, but they should have won more'.

"That's why we should try now to win a few things. And the next chance, the best chance we have this weekend, is against Chelsea when it's really tricky."

Five subs are allowed in the Carabao Cup final.

Jonathan Woodgate
Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

It is going to be an incredible battle. Two of Europe's top teams, both doing well in the league. I give Liverpool the edge, just by their front three. If you look at the goals they've scored this season. I'm looking forward to the game.

Mark Lawrenson
BBC football expert

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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.

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.

Lawro's prediction: 1-1 - Liverpool to win on penalties

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In previous years Liverpool have had a very good XI but lacked squad depth below that.

They seem to have sorted that now.

Emma Sanders asks if this is their strongest squad.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Wembley

What does it say about the current status of Chelsea's £97.5m striker Romelu Lukaku that he cannot make the starting line-up for a major Wembley final against Liverpool?

It demonstrates that his form has been unconvincing and there has been an unsettled air about Lukaku ever since his arrival from Inter Milan. Chelsea will have expected much better.

Only Brentford's Marcus Forss and Arsenal's Eddie Nketiah have scored more Carabao Cup goals this season (five each) than Liverpool's Takumi Minamino.

He's on the bench today.

Kai Havertz is Chelsea's top scorer on their run to the final with two.

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Chelsea have not trailed for a single minute in the Carabao Cup this season.

The last time they fell behind in the tournament was in a 2-1 home loss to Manchester United in the 2019-20 fifth round.