"The blue billion-pound bottlejobs". The experts' comments on the Carabao Cup final

Liverpool clinched victory against Chelsea in the final of the Carabao Cup (1:0). The trophy was secured for the Merseysiders by a precise strike from Virgil Van Dijk at the end of the second period of extra time.

Manchester United legend turned Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville delivered a scathing critique of the defeated team.

"In extra-time it's been Klopp's kids against the blue, billion-pound bottlejobs. Liverpool have been absolutely sensational. Those young players have been incredible. Klopp must be so proud.

However, for Chelsea, I have no sympathy for them whatsoever. Mauricio Pochettino's players have shrunk. They have shrunk right in front of our eyes and in front of their fans. I’m really disappointed with Chelsea in that extra time period. You can lose any final and you can lose any game of football, but you cannot play like that. You cannot shrink and go back, particularly when Liverpool had five kids on the pitch".

Former English footballer Jamie O'Hara also joined the criticism of Chelsea, noting their lack of intensity in extra time.

"Chelsea absolutely bottled it in extra time. Pochettino, what an opportunity to win a trophy! Awful from his players. You've got a reserve team for Liverpool out there and they've played Chelsea off the park in extra time for 30 minutes.

I can't believe what I've seen. Chelsea miles off it in extra time. Pochettino will be kicking himself. He'll have sleepless nights after this! He will not have a better chance to beat Liverpool in a final."

Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp was effusive in his praise for Jurgen Klopp after the match.

"What a man. How do you follow that? How do you follow Jurgen Klopp? Trying to come to Liverpool after what he's done and what he's created, it's virtually impossible. It is. The guy is just such a leader of men.

He's led a city, every Liverpool fan around the world has looked up to that man and what he's achieved. He's turned around a club that was struggling at the time and made everyone believe in what he was trying to achieve, and even those young players he has given opportunities to, the belief he has got in all of them. He's just an incredible human being".

Former Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom expressed admiration for the performance of the goal scorer, Van Dijk.

"Virgil van Dijk was immense today, he scored, had it disallowed and then scored the winner. When he first came in, the fee paid raised a few eyebrows, but he's more than repaid it. All of their success has coincided with the arrivals of Van Dijk and Alisson.

If anything is going to wet the appetite for these young players, it is moments like this when you are 18/19/20years old. You look at the players not there, they've been developed, bought and Klopp has groomed these players into a very good squad".

Therefore, Liverpool clinched their 10th English League Cup in history, marking an absolute record for the tournament.