Mauricio Pochettino said Chelsea ‘need to feel the pain’ of their Carabao Cup final defeat to Liverpool at Wembley.
Chelsea suffered late heartbreak in the final as Virgil van Dijk scored a 118th-minute winner for Liverpool, with the Dutch defender heading home from a set piece as penalties loomed.
Pochettino’s side had several good chances to open the scoring before that decisive moment, as Raheem Sterling saw a goal disallowed for a marginal offside and Conor Gallagher hit the woodwork.
Liverpool also had a Van Dijk effort disallowed and saw Cody Gakpo head against the post, as both sides squandered opportunities to open the scoring.
Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher was in fine form and made fantastic saves to deny Cole Palmer and Gallagher either side of half-time, with the first a stunning stop from close range with the goal gaping.
An entertaining game looked set for a shootout but Chelsea switched off at a Kostas Tsimikas corner for Van Dijk to head home.
For Chelsea, it was a sixth consecutive domestic cup final defeat and Pochettino called the result ‘painful’ as his team failed to capitalise against a Liverpool side short of several leading names.
“We created four, five, six big chances and we didn’t score. In a game like today and in a final to score first, it is a big advantage,” he said to Sky Sports.
“We didn’t score and that is a bit of a problem. We conceded in the last minute and it is difficult to react.
“They [the players] are professional, they need to feel the pain. We played for a trophy we didn’t get. They need to feel the pain like us.
“The players feel the disappointment because we were so close to winning the game after 90 minutes.
“We need to take positive things, need to push, use this type of game to learn and be better.
“I think we really competed if you don’t score with chances we had it’s difficult to win the final.
“That is why, we lost final we need to be clinical in front of goal and we congratulate Liverpool and keep going.
“The way you lose is so painful but now we need to keep going keep moving. They scored and we didn’t score.”
