Chelsea will go into today’s Capital Cup final against Spurs five points ahead of Man City and with a game in hand thanks mainly to Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho.
Jordan Henderson put the Reds ahead in the 11th minute with a curling screamer from the left edge of the City area; a flailing Joe Hart could do little as the ball arrowed into the postage stamp.
It was the conclusion of a move started by Coutinho, as were most good things Liverpool did in the attacking third.
In the 75th minute, with victory seemingly drifting away, it was the Brazilian again, cutting in from the left to magic the ball in from 28th yards – a carbon copy of Henderson’s earlier strike. It was to prove enough to push the Reds past D?eko’s 25th minute equaliser.
Brendan Rogers had the last laugh thanks to princely Philippe after yet again starting a game without a bona fide striker – chance after chance eluded Raheem Sterling as if to underline the point.
Chelsea know that their future is 100% in their hands, and they’re more than delighted with their own number 10; but, begrudgingly or otherwise, they’ll be giving the Liverpool version plenty of credit this afternoon.
By Stan Wenners
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