Paul Merson identifies major Romelu Lukaku problem after Chelsea flop's seven touches

Liverpool’s Carabao Cup victory over Chelsea will do down as one of the most memorable in the tournament's history.Despite the 120 minutes of action failing to yield a single goal, Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel’s side played out a fabulous contest of football, with multiple goals disallowed and a number of chances going begging. Were it not for the heroic goalkeeping of Caoimhin Kelleher and Edouard Mendy, the contest could have finished as a 5-5 draw.However, the net did not bulge, and the contest was sent to an immense penalty shootout which saw Kepa Arrizabalaga come off the Chelsea bench to miss the vital spot-kick.

Harry Kane on social media after the Tottenham Hotspur man took one of the worst set-pieces of his life against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup on Tuesday.Antonio Conte's side were dumped out of the competition in extra-time thanks to a late strike from Josh Coburn, but nothing encapsulated their evening like Kane's second-half free-kick.Over the past couple of seasons the England captain has transformed himself into a more dynamic, all-round player who can do a bit of pretty much everything.He's turned into Tottenham's best creator and has developed a passing range that few other strikers around the world can match.But he clearly needs to work on his free-kicks a bit more and Spurs fans will be hiding behind the sofa the next time he decides to one after witnessing his laughable effort at the Riverside Stadium.The away fans held their breath as Kane stepped up from 25-yards out, but the England man slipped over and saw his lifeless effort puff itself into the Middlesbrough wall."That's the worst Kane free kick yet, and that's saying something," one Tottenham fan tweeted.Where will Harry Kane be playing football next season? Let us know in the comments section below..."I love him but it should be illegal for Harry Kane to ever take a free kick outside of the training ground," said another."You're so good at everything at Harry, just not free-kicks.

Chelsea striker Diego Costa is closing in on a new club after agreeing a deal with Brazilian side Corinthians.The 33-year-old has been a free agent ever since his contract with Atletico Mineiro was terminated six weeks ago.Costa had only spent a few months with the club, netting seven goals in 26 games to guide them to their first league title for over 50 years.According to reports, he'd been holding out for a move back to Europe, where he had successful stints with both Chelsea and Atletico Madrid, and had been shelving offers from various clubs while "waiting for one in particular that never came."But after considering his options, the Brazilian-born Spain international has opted to join Corinthians where he'll play under former Porto and Fenerbahce boss Vitor Pereira.It's understood that he's asking for wages of around £46,000-a-week and will sign an 18 month deal with the Sao Paulo-based side.Costa was linked with a move back to the Premier League in January, with Arsenal and Newcastle United among the interested clubs, but a transfer never materialised.Could Diego Costa do a better job up front for Chelsea than Romelu Lukaku? Let us know in the comments section...The bruiser spent three seasons at Stamford Bridge, winning two Premier League titles and a League Cup during his short but memorable stint in English football.He developed a reputation for being a 'master of the dark arts' and frequently clashed with opponents and got into scuffles - though curiously he was never sent off as a Chelsea player.Costa bagged 59 goals in 120 matches for the Blues and quickly endeared himself to fans, before being controversially exiled by Antonio Conte in 2017 and eventually sold back to Atletico Madrid.

Thomas Tuchel snapped back at a reporter after being asked repeatedly about Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Abramovich announced on Saturday that he had handed over “stewardship” of the club to the trustees of Chelsea’s charitable foundation. The Russian’s statement prompted more questions than it gave answers, given the ongoing crisis in Ukraine after Vladimir Putin ordered troops to invade on Thursday.

Chelsea supporter tagged Popworld Liverpool while trying to insult Virgil van Dijk - and got a memorable response from the baffled nightclub admin.Popworld shared an image of the Dutchman with a corner flag but with the nightclub's logo photoshopped on.A Blues fan then took to Twitter following his side's Carabao Cup final defeat to Jurgen Klopp's men on penalties, a game in which Van Dijk was named man of the match.It's fair to say the loyal Chelsea supporter did not agree with that assessment, saying that the Netherlands skipper allowed his side several golden chances to score.But Popworld's response got more than 36,000 likes on the social media platform - causing the aggrieved Chelsea fan to delete his initial message.In a now deleted tweet, the Twitter user wrote while tagging Popworld: "You conceded about 100 chances to a bang average Chelsea attack, you only got motm because you're the media's golden boy."You're not a patch on 37 year old Thiago Silva now get back in your box."Popworld Liverpool replied: "We’re a nightclub mate."Was Virgil van Dijk the star performer at Wembley? Give us your thoughts in the comments sectionHaving officially being named as the Carabao Cup Final 2022 Man of the Match, Van Dijk became the latest player to pick up the Alan Hardaker Trophy.He follows Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler, Jerzy Dudek and Stewart Downing in picking up the award as a Liverpool player, having helped keep Chelsea at bay for 120 minutes.The Alan Hardaker Trophy is named after a former EFL secretary who oversaw the launch of the cup in 1960 having conceived the idea.Van Dijk said after scoring his penalty in the 11-10 success from the spot: "Very special.

Chelsea blunder on Sunday.The Spanish goalkeeper was substituted on for Edouard Mendy by Thomas Tuchel ahead of the penalty shootout in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool.However, the gamble did not pay off as Kepa failed to save a single Liverpool spot-kick before blazing his penalty over the crossbar as Chelsea lost 11-10.Now, the 27-year-old's stunning girlfriend has taken to social media to call for Chelsea fans to show their love to Kepa in an emotional post in which she slammed an "unfair situation".Andrea Martinez's relationship with the Blues stopper only went public earlier this month and she was present at Wembley on Sunday.Martinez was pictured cheering on her boyfriend from the stands whilst wearing a Chelsea shirt with his name and number on the back.Following the penalty shootout defeat, she posted a message of support to Kepa via her Instagram story, writing: "One of the things I've learnt when I was a basketball player was that a team is always a team. There are no heroes, there are no villains."In my personal opinion this is a very unfair situation and I'm not just talking about today.Should Kepa Arrizabalaga have been subbed on for the penalty shootout? Let us know in the comments section below."Real supporters must show the love today, not just when we win."@kepaarrizabalaga we are so proud of you, as a goalkeeper and even more as a person."Humble, brilliant, kind, generous, intelligent, hard worker, talented and the most beautiful soul I've ever met."This is just the small line of a huge book.

Jamie Redknapp “didn’t like” Kepa Arrizabalaga’s behaviour in goal during Chelsea’s penalty shoot-out defeat to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.The 27-year-old shot-stopper was brought on as a penalty shootout specialist after the two rival clubs failed to score a goal over 120 minutes.But the Spaniard had a disastrous time after replacing the spectacular Edouard Mendy, failing to make a single save out of 11 spot-kick attempts while missing his own effort to give the Reds their ninth League Cup trophy.And Sky Sports pundit Redknapp slammed the goalkeeper’s antics after he attempted to put off Liverpool players with various mind-games but to no avail.Redknapp said: "I didn’t like his behaviour when the penalties were being taken and then he took one of the worst penalties you’ve ever seen.“I don’t like it, I don’t understand why you do it.

Chelsea's Carabao Cup final program has emerged online after the Blues lost on penalties to Liverpool.The article is titled 'Shoot-out Saviour' and features a prominent image of Chelsea's shot-stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga. Kepa was a late substitute for Chelsea as Thomas Tuchel hooked Edouard Mendy for the Spaniard despite the Mali international having played the majority of the game.

Liverpool's win over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final.The Reds emerged victorious after a penalty shootout ended 11-10 following a goalless 120 minutes of action at Wembley on Sunday.All 21 spot kicks found the back of the net before substituted-on goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga fired his over the bar. And speaking after the game, former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp slated the decision by Thomas Tuchel to bring on Kepa for Edouard Mendy.

Liverpool should have stopped Chelsea from making their substitution in the 120th minute.The thrilling Carabao Cup final was fiercely contested between the two sides, who remained unseparated even after extra-time.With a penalty shoot-out looming, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel decided to bring on spot-kick ‘specialist’ Kepa Arrizabalaga just before the final whistle blew to turn the shoot-out in his favour.And ex-Sky Sports presenter Keys at the time took to Twitter to say Liverpool should have kept the ball and prevented it from going out of play in order to prevent the switch.Keys wrote: “If I’m Liverpool I keep that ball and don’t let Chelsea make the change.”But the beIN Sports presenter was quickly proven wrong as Kepa went from potential hero to villain for the Blues.Mendy, who had enjoyed a sterling performance until the call, made way for the Spaniard in a bold call by Tuchel.Tuchel’s decision at the time seemed a masterstroke due to Kepa leading the side to three penalty shoot-out wins already this season.Do you think Liverpool would have still won the shoot-out with Mendy in goal for Chelsea? Let us know in the comments section.Want to be on the ball with all of the latest football news?Well then sign up for the brilliant Daily Star football email newsletter!From the latest transfer news to the agenda-setting stories, get it all in your email inbox - don't miss a thing.It only takes a matter of seconds.Simply type your email address into the box at the top of this article and hit 'subscribe'.And that's it, job done.

Thomas Tuchel took the brave decision to sub on Kepa Arrizabalaga for Edouard Mendy with the Carabao Cup final heading to penalties on Sunday.However, Kepa failed to stop any of Liverpool's 11 spot-kicks - before the Spaniard blazed his over the bar.Kepa's spot-kick proved to be the decisive one as the Reds won their first Carabao Cup in a decade.While Chelsea's wait for a first Carabao Cup success since their 14/15 triumph against Tottenham Hotspur will go on for at least another year.And fans have been quick to react to Kepa's display at Wembley on social media."I'm not sure anything could be more embarrassing in football than that tbh for Kepa," one fan tweeted.Another joked: "Subbing Mendy whose been class all game for Kepa to not save a single pen and miss the decider like that is quite embarrassing""Kepa didn't save a single penalty and handed the trophy over to Liverpool," a third pointed out.However, a fourth tweeted: "Kepa should not be the one getting all the blame btw." What do you make of Tuchel's decision to sub off Kepa for Mendy? Let us know in the comments section Jamie Redknapp slammed Tuchel's decision to swap Mendy for Kepa."I hope it puts to bed the substitutions now of putting goalkeepers on," he said live on Sky Sports."Edouard Mendy is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and you bring on Kepa instead of him, ridiculous."

Chelsea 's understudy goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga backfired spectacularly. Blues boss Tuchel took off man of the match Edouard Mendy to send on the £71m Spaniard, who has saved a club record eight penalties in shoot-outs. But Kepa failed to save a single one against Liverpool - and then skied his decisive 11th kick as the Reds lifted the Carabao Cup at Wembley.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel's decisions and team selection were crucial to his side's defeat to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.The two sides played out an enthralling 0-0 draw before the Blues succumbed to an 11-10 defeat from 12 yards in the penalty shootout.Tuchel's goalkeeping decisions proved crucial, with Edouard Mendy producing a string of important saves after starting in place of Kepa Arrizabalaga, who was crucially subbed on for the shootout.So, here is the one thing that the Chelsea boss got right and the two things he got wrong as Chelsea beat Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.Prior to Sunday’s final, Kepa had played in each of Chelsea’s five matches in this season’s competition, but Tuchel chose to drop his cup goalkeeper in place of his first-choice keeper.His gamble paid off, though, as Mendy made a fine double save to keep the match goalless during the first half, first parrying a long range strike from Naby Keita before springing up to deny his Senegal team-mate Sadio Mane.The Chelsea keeper then made two more huge saves late on in normal time following chaos in the penalty area.Mendy was, however, denied the chance to perform any penalty heroics as he was replaced by Kepa for the shootout.Despite the decisions Tuchel got right, Chelsea missed a host of chances as they failed to capitalise on their dominance, with Romelu Lukaku left on the bench.Mason Mount was the worst culprit as he squandered countless golden opportunities during the match, including hitting the post.The lack of their £97.5million striker certainly hampered Chelsea’s killer touch in front of goal, with several instances where the ball was put into promising areas with no one there to finish.Tuchel’s side

Liverpool and Chelsea have performed a pre-match tribute for Ukraine ahead of the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.The two sides expressed their support for the war-torn country following the invasion launched by Russian president Vladimir Putin this week.Captains Jordan Henderson and Cesar Azpilicueta lead out their teams holding blue and yellow wreaths, the colours of the Ukraine flag.A minutes applause was then held, during which time Liverpool supporters belted out their anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.After the national anthem was sung both sets of players posed for a picture with the wreaths. It comes after several other protests in the Premier League against the military operation over the weekend.Everton players entered the pitch draped in Ukraine flags in support of team-mate Vitaliy Mykolenko before their clash with Manchester City.Manchester United and Watford players urged peace with a sign ahead of their fixture.And Aston Villa's Matty Cash displayed a message of support for his Poland colleague Tomasz Kedziora who is caught up in the crisis.Chelsea have been impacted by Putin's military operation, with Russian owner Roman Abramovich handing over control of the club in recent days.The Russian billionaire announced he has handed over 'stewardship and care' of the club on Saturday.However, he remains owner of the club.Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel admitted earlier this week that the whole situation had impacted his side's preparation.He said: "We should not pretend that this is not an issue and I agree."The situation for me and for everybody here, for the players, is horrible.

Chelsea are said to have made 'no formal approach' to the Premier League over a potential change in ownership after Roman Abramovich's 110 word statement over his stance at the club.The Russian businessman told supporters that he had handed 'stewardship and care' to their charitable foundation - but insisted that he remained committed to the club.Following that update, The Telegraph reports that there has been no formal legal approach to the Premier League - meaning that Abramovich remains in full control.They add that any chance in ownership has to be approved by the league executive, who would have to look at the owners' and directors test'.Abramovich's Fordstam Limited company remains the controlling party of Chelsea, which means Chelsea would still be affected should the Government impose sanctions on the billionaire.His statement on Saturday (February 26) read: "During my nearly 20-year ownership of Chelsea FC, I have always viewed my role as a custodian of the Club, whose job it is ensuring that we are as successful as we can be today, as well as build for the future, while also playing a positive role in our communities."I have always taken decisions with the Club’s best interest at heart. Will Chelsea win more major trophies under Thomas Tuchel? Give us your thoughts in the comments section"I remain committed to these values.

Leeds United have parted ways with Marcelo Bielsa as the club continues to struggle in the lower half of the Premier League table. Leeds struggled throughout February as Bielsa's side suffered embarrassing defeats to Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham in quick succession.Tottenham proved to be the breaking point for the Argentine as Leeds shipped four to Antonio Conte's side on a dismal Saturday lunchtime.Three quick-fire goals inside the first 30 minutes pushed the game away from Leeds before Son Heung-min rounded off the clash for Spurs.However, Bielsa had been hoping to turn the season around, deflecting any suggestions he was ready to walk away from the Yorkshire side.Leeds chairman Andrea Radrizzani said: “This has been the toughest decision I have had to make during my tenure at Leeds United, taking into account all the success Marcelo has had at the club.“With Marcelo as our head coach, we had three incredible campaigns and the good times returned to Elland Road.

Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster admitted he "didn't have a lot to do" during their goalless draw with Manchester United on Saturday.

Tottenham are desperate to beat Newcastle to the signature of Lille defender Sven Botman - in order to satisfy Antonio Conte. The Italian coach is still to be convinced that the club’s hierarchy will back him, as promised, in the transfer market after a mixed January window.And that makes the North Londoners’ pursuit of a left-footed, left-sided centre-half - as Conte is demanding they get him - an absolute priority this summer.Dutchman Botman, 22, fits the criteria perfectly - and the Tottenham boss has already given his seal of approval to targeting him.Which is cranking up the pressure on his chairman Daniel Levy to strike a £30million deal with the French club before Newcastle do.Most assume the Magpies, who narrowly failed to bring Botman to St James' Park last month, are favourites to succeed next time round - as long as they stay in the Premier League.Spurs, though, are in no mood to step aside as they fight to persuade Conte they do mean business when it comes to being an authentic top-four contender.The ex-Chelsea manager’s constant conflicting messages about the state of the Spurs squad is causing huge concern within the boardroom that they may lose one of the game’s elite coaches.Will Conte still be at Spurs next summer? Tell us your prediction in the comments section.Want to be on the ball with all of the latest football news?Well then sign up for the brilliant Daily Star football email newsletter!From the latest transfer news to the agenda-setting stories, get it all in your email inbox - don't miss a thing.It only takes a matter of seconds.Simply type your email address into the box at the top of this article and hit 'subscribe'.And that's it, job done.

Ukraine.There is no suggestion Abramovich is in any way involved, but this week Labour MP Chris Bryant had called for him to be banned from owning the club.Despite the gravity of the statement, huge questions remain over how exactly Chelsea will be run moving forward.It is not known if the move will be permanent or temporary, nor is it clear if he will consider selling his stake in the club.Blues boss Thomas Tuchel had earlier addressed the situation.The German said: "We should not pretend that this is not an issue and I agree."The situation for me and for everybody here, for the players, is horrible. Nobody expected this.

Harry Kane and Son Heung-min have now combined for more Premier League goals than any other duo in the competition's history following Tottenham's 4-0 demolition of Leeds at Elland Road on Saturday.Kane and Son both got on the scoresheet, as did Matt Doherty and Dejan Kulusevski, as Antonio Conte's side rained more misery down on Marcelo Bielsa.For Tottenham's fourth and final goal, Son received a lofted pass from Kane before coolly finishing past Illan Meslier, which was the 37th time either man has assisted the other in the league.They've now pulled away from Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba's total of 36 - a record which had stood for nearly a decade.Speaking to BT Sport about becoming the division's most prolific partnership, Son said:"It is a big honour. The record is important but the three points are too because the result in midweek was not the best."We take the record but most important thing is three points."It is always a tough place to come here and we needed to show character and responsibility.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte says the club will need to "make an assessment" about his future in the coming days following his side's 1-0 defeat to Burnley at Turf Moor on Wednesday night.A second-half goal from Ben Mee saw Tottenham lose in the Premier League for the third time this month, as hopes of finishing in the top four continue to diminish. "It was difficult tonight, but it's not only tonight.