‘Disappointing’: Robbie Fowler Names the Only Liverpool Player Who Can ‘Hold Their Head Up’ After Carabao Cup Final

Liverpool suffered a disappointing defeat in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, in a match they will likely prefer to forget.

The Reds were eager to make amends following their midweek elimination from the Champions League at the hands of PSG. However, their performance at Wembley was lacklustre and uninspired, failing to rise to the occasion.

Newcastle fully deserved their victory, as Liverpool never truly appeared capable of securing a win.

The Magpies possess several high-quality players and are capable of defeating any team on their day. However, being outperformed in terms of determination and effort in a cup final is unacceptable for any Liverpool side.

Liverpool’s squad delivered a series of underwhelming performances, with many players appearing physically drained even in the early stages of the match.

Despite the overall disappointment, Reds legend Robbie Fowler believes there was at least one player who stood out with a commendable performance at Wembley.

Virgil van Dijk Liverpool’s Sole Good Performer

No matter where you looked at Wembley, Liverpool players were failing to fulfil their roles effectively.

Individually, they were outperformed in every area of the pitch by their Newcastle opponents. When that happens, victory is never an option.

However, according to Fowler, the one player who rose to the occasion was captain Virgil van Dijk.

“The result is disappointing but I think it’s the performance which has probably ruined this a little bit,” the former striker told LFCTV after the game.

“I’m not sure any player other than probably Virgil van Dijk can hold their head up.

“It was a performance lacking in a little bit of everything, a little bit of grit, desire, that control of football in certain areas of the pitch.”

Thought

Among the players who started for Liverpool, it is fair to say that Van Dijk was likely the only one who could walk away with any sense of credit.

However, even he was not at his absolute best. While he largely handled Alexander Isak well, he was still a step too slow to prevent the Swedish striker from scoring the decisive goal.

Given the high standards he sets for himself, it is unlikely that Fowler’s praise will offer much comfort to Virgil.

One player who truly deserves recognition is Federico Chiesa. Coming off the bench, the Italian produced a well-taken goal for Liverpool and posed more of an attacking threat than anyone else on the pitch.

Having been scarcely used this season, Chiesa’s determined performance at Wembley suggests that Arne Slot owes him an apology. Aside from him—and perhaps Harvey Elliott—the rest of the Liverpool squad should reflect deeply on their performances.

In other news, Liverpool Suffer Injury Concern After Carabao Cup Final Defeat