Mauricio Pochettino urges referees not to cave to Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool farewell in Carabao Cup final as Chelsea boss calls out ‘key decisions’ against Blues at Anfield

Speaking to the media ahead of Sunday's final at Wembley, Pochettino referenced Chelsea's Premier League trip to Anfield at the end of January when Liverpool won 4-1 as an example of Jurgen Klopp's side getting favourable decisions. Although he didn't deny that Liverpool were the better team, he highlighted two "clear" penalties he felt Chelsea deserved and suggested that too many of the closer 50/50 decisions went the way of the Reds.

With Klopp set to leave Anfield at the end of the season, Pochettino is wary that Liverpool might again benefit from refereeing decisions, as he told reporters in his pre-match press conference: "I think we need to be sure we are going to compete and be fair in every single decision. When we played against Liverpool at Anfield, I think not one key decision was for us. Two penalties were not given. Duels, 50/50s, always for another colour. Always red. I want to be treated in a fair way.

"I am the first who is going to say that Liverpool is amazing and Klopp is one of the best coaches in the world. But I think after my last experience playing [at Anfield], what I want in Wembley is to play a game at the same level and the best team will win.

"[Liverpool] were better than us, of course. But the first decision after five minutes was a clear penalty. In the second half it was a penalty [on Christopher] Nkunku. We are Chelsea and we need to compete with the same tools. If they are better well done and we congratulate them, but be fair in every single decision. The pressure is about not delivering the job for Klopp, no, the pressure is not to be part of the [hype]."

Like Chelsea, Liverpool are still alive in the FA Cup, but Sunday's Carabao Cup final has the potential to Klopp's last game at Wembley after announcing his intention to step down as manager at the end of the season for a break from football. There is an element of emotion to his drawn-out farewell given the job he has done restoring Liverpool to the top of European football. But Pochettino understandably doesn't want that to cloud any judgement of the match officials under the famous arch.

Klopp actually lost each of his first three finals as Liverpool manager, falling in the 2016 League Cup final to Manchester City, before also losing that year's Europa League final against Sevilla. He then tasted defeat in the 2018 Champions League final at the hands of Real Madrid, before finally breaking that losing streak against Tottenham in the same competition in 2019. Pochettino, meanwhile, is yet to win a trophy in English football.

There is more at stake here than just a single trophy. For Chelsea, it could be a ticket back into European competition next season as their Premier League form looks unlikely to get them there, given they sit 12 points adrift of fifth place with only 13 games left. Meanwhile, Liverpool have the opportunity to land the first piece of a potential quadruple to mark Klopp's final season, as they are currently leading the Premier League table and enjoying strong runs in the FA Cup and Europa League.