Chelsea has already faced Liverpool twice this season, with both meetings having no winner and no clean sheets. Many fans have interpreted what they like from these matches, but the fact remains that the Reds will be—and has always been—a difficult opponent for the Blues. Chelsea will have to be as tenacious and as technically efficient as Liverpool to be able to match the Merseyside giants following 1-1 and 2-2 draws earlier in the campaign. There’s already a lot of debate in the Blues’ fanbase about who starts on Sunday, which only highlights the difficult decisions that Thomas Tuchel must make ahead of the weekend’s final.
Who does Tuchel ultimately trust to bring the EFL Cup to back to west London?
Kepa Arrizabalaga (No. 1) Goalkeeper, Spain
The situation could also call for Edouard Mendy to start with Kepa Arrizabalaga coming on at the end if it goes to penalties. Arrizabalaga has been near flawless when he has been called upon this season, and while there’s a case to be made that he should have started the FIFA Club World Cup final, it is no surprise—nor is it a travesty—that the Senegalese shot-stopper started instead. Arrizabalaga has been between the sticks leading up to the final in this competition, so it’s only fair that the Spaniard be allowed to finish what he has started.
Andreas Christensen (No. 4) Right centerback, Denmark
Andreas Christensen played very well against Lille in the Champions League in midweek. Granted, it was a struggling Lille side, his composure and passing were a joy to watch. He led everyone on the pitch in interceptions (3). No player on the pitch had a higher passing accuracy than the Denmark international (93 percent). Christensen played a key role in Chelsea’s well-deserved clean sheet against Lille and deserves another start.
Thiago Silva (No. 6) Centerback, Brazil
Thiago Silva was the best centerback on the pitch once again in the Champions League Round of 16. He had a game-high 12 positive defensive actions against Lille and no player on the pitch blocked more shots than the Brazilian (2). He was a rock for the Blues, as always. Soon we’ll all run out of adjectives to describe Silva’s professionalism, commitment, composure and expertise.
Antonio Rudiger (No. 2) Left centerback, Germany
A major thing that stood out in the Champions League game against Lille was Antonio Rudiger’s adept passing. He attempted (17) and completed the most long balls (10) of anyone who played that match. His distribution to the flanks was often spot on. He even took a shot from midfield that forced a save from Leo Jardim. Rudiger was more than solid once again. He got caught out in midfield while dribbling—again—but no worries. Rudiger remains a key part of Tuchel’s system because of how well he plays the role of left centerback in Tuchel’s three-centerback formation.