Klopp, Pellegrini Set For Capital One Cup Showdown

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will be bidding to secure his first trophy for the club and Manchester City counterpart Manuel Pellegrini potentially his last in Sunday’s League Cup final.

Klopp, 48, is less than five months into his mission to restore Liverpool to former glories, whereas Pellegrini, 62, has only three months left in the City saddle before handing the reins to Pep Guardiola.

City are the favourites, but former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has claimed that the nous Klopp demonstrated by leading Borussia Dortmund to five trophies will give the underdogs the edge at Wembley.

Responding to Gerrard’s prediction, made in the Daily Telegraph, Klopp said: “I am not sure I am the difference, but I know the way. There is absolutely no reason at this moment to have a doubt.

“I have to show it as clear as possible so there is no misunderstanding between my mouth and the ears of the players.

“We do this job in professional football. We only want to win things: titles, cups, whatever.

“A lot of managers work their whole lives and can be really successful, but have never the chance to win something. Now, everything is possible.”

Having fallen nine points below fourth-place City in the Premier League, Liverpool’s hopes of Champions League qualification are fading and they were recently eliminated from the FA Cup by West Ham United.

They will face Manchester United in a tantalising last-16 Europa League tie, but it is Sunday’s game that offers Klopp the best chance to make a mark in his maiden campaign.

With eight trophies, Liverpool are the League Cup’s most successful club, but they have not procured any silverware since they last won the tournament in 2012.

Klopp’s tenure to date has been a tale of feast and famine, with dreary displays interspersed by stunning results such as slick away wins at City and Chelsea, a breathless 5-4 victory at Norwich City and six-goal thrashings of both Southampton and Aston Villa.