Just a couple of months after taking over as the manager of Chelsea, Roberto Di Matteo gets his first shot at silverware as his side take on Liverpool in the F.A Cup final live from 2:15am.
It’s obviously not the most important cup final that Di Matteo has in the next few weeks, but nevertheless a huge occasion for him and his squad – especially the likes of John Terry, Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles who will miss that Champions League final.
As for Liverpool, it’s a chance at an unlikely double for Kenny Dalglish’s men after they clinched the League Cup against Cardiff in a gruelling penalty shootout.
Chelsea and Liverpool games are rarely without controversy, and many of my recent football memories stem from clashes between the two. There was Frank Lampard’s emotional penalty just days after his mother died, the Luis Garcia ghost goal and Xabi Alonso’s scrappy effort that saw Chelsea lose at home in the league for the first time in 86 league matches back in the 2008/09 season.
Needless to say, there’s no love lost between the two.
Chelsea’s run to the Cup final was marred with a spiteful affair against neighbours QPR, a controversial Mata goal against Spurs and a couple of blow-outs against lower league position…but not before they were forced to a replay by Birmingham City.
Liverpool failed to keep a clean sheet in the tournament this year, but on the way to final did beat their two biggest rivals, Manchester United and Everton.
These two have combined to win six of the last twelve tournaments, Chelsea winning two of the last three. Liverpool’s most recent FA Cup success was that pulsating with clash with West Ham, where they came from behind to win on penalties thanks to an inspirational performance from captain Steven Gerrard.
And they’ll need everything Stevie G has in his arsenal to get past the Blues, who have looked a completely different side since shedding Andre Villas-Boas.
Fernando Torres looks the deadliest he has since he last wore the red of Liverpool, and the irony would not be lost on any scousers if the former Atletico Madrid striker was the one that scored the winner tonight… probably with a Meireles assist.
Regardless of what happens, join us from around 2am for the teams and line-ups before kick-off at 2:15. See you then.
Geoff Lemon
Expert
Thanks for the call Matt. It was a good 40 minutes to finish off that game.
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
And after a largely abject first half, that game really came to life in the second!! Di Matteo is victorious in his first cup final this month, Liverpool will have to be content with the League Cup and it's Chelsea who have a shot at a double when they take on Bayern Munich in three weeks time!! Carroll was absolutely superb off the bench - is this the day he turns it around? I'm just glad that the ball didn't cross the line on that shot because we'd be hearing about it for weeks and weeks. In the end, it was a fantastic save from Petr Cech, and one that was deserving of cup winners. Thanks for tuning in, feel free to follow us @TheRoarSports or me @TheMattBungard - see you next time.
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
FULL TIME CHELSEA 2 LIVERPOOL 1
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
Lampard blasts it goalwards and Reina claims it on the second attempt. They need to go long, quickly..
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
94th min: Gerrard cuts down Drogba, that's a free kick and that might be enough!
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
94th min: Liverpool look long to Kuyt, it's over his head and out for a goal kick. Chelsea only have to survive another 90 seconds, as Mata is named man of the match.
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
91st min: Mata coming off, Malouda on....and there will be five added minutes of time!
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
90th min: Suarez dances into the area, it's another corner which is played short for Johnson to blast it towards goal, but it clatters off Lampard
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
Cleared away for a throw.
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
88th min: Free kick to Liverpool, Gerrard blasts it off the wall and out for another corner. Liverpool running out of time...
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
87th min: It broke to Skrtel after the corner was cleared but he slipped and couldn't find a shot in all of that!
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
86th min: Another Liverpool corner, but this one is headed away.
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
Wow. The replay shows there was a sliver of the ball that didn't cross the line and that is an UNBELIEVABLE save from Petr Cech. Suarez is booked for dissent in the aftermath.
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
82nd min: DID THAT CROSS THE LINE?!??! I THOUGHT CARROLL HAD EQUALISED!!? THE REF SAYS NO!
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
81st min: Henderson couldn't keep the shot down as it came out to him on the edge of the area after a great run from Luis Suarez
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
78th min: Bellamy off, Kuyt on for Liverpool
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
76th min: Chelsea are rattled, and here comes a sub. The goalscorer Ramires makes way, Raul Meireles is on.
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
76th min: Another towering header from Carroll that's just over the bar!
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
75th min: Carroll with a late run to win that header but it's well off target. Before that scrappy goal Liverpool didn't look like doing anything, since then it's been nothing but red dominance!
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
73rd min: Suarez drills one low at the near post and Cech has to tip it around for a corner..