MY ACCOUNT
Lifelong Liverpool fan Rickie Haywood-Williams cannot wait to see Jurgen Klopp’s men lock horns with Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.
In an exclusive column for LiveScore, the radio and TV presenter reveals all about his passion for the Reds and previews the Wembley showpiece.
Read on as the co-host of Radio 1’s Live Lounge breaks down how he sees the match playing out.
How it all started
As a South Londoner, I often get asked why I support Liverpool — more so now than when I was a kid — and I feel I should always give the most profound answer.
Really and truly, what I always say is it’s because of John Barnes. But as a precursor to me knowing about him, my best mate at school was a Liverpool fan, so that’s kind of how it started.
Although my dad loves football, my family weren’t massively into it during the 80s, for obvious reasons such as hooliganism and racism. We watched athletics on TV more, with your Linford Christies and Steve Backleys, so football wasn’t massive in our house.
When I got into it through my friends at school, there was never a culture of needing to support your local team. I had no idea that supporting Liverpool was a no-no and that I should support Crystal Palace — I genuinely didn’t have a clue.
When I was young, I remember being with my uncle and I asked him what Selhurst Park was as we drove by. He said it was Palace’s stadium but told me they were rubbish — and that kind of stuck with me.
Barnsey is a legend
Once I decided Liverpool were my team, I automatically latched on to Barnes. He has Jamaican heritage like my dad and was my favourite player.
If we’re talking my favourite Liverpool player of all time, Barnsey is up there. I actually went to an awards show recently with my missus and he was there. I can’t lie, I did get giddy.
I’ve met him before but I really wanted a picture with him — and there aren’t many people in the public eye that make me feel that way.
But because of the length of time he played for the club, and considering my age and having seen him play in the flesh, I’d have to say Steven Gerrard. I’d put him first, Barnsey second and maybe Robbie Fowler or Fernando Torres next. And no, I didn’t get my pic with John!
The obvious one from the current squad is Mo Salah. He’s amazing and I had no idea — I don’t think anyone did — that he was going to go on and do what he has for us. I’m so happy we’ve got him and I hope he signs a new deal.
My favourite of the original attacking trio of him, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane is Mane. I think he changed the culture of how we played when he came to the club.
At the time, even though we had Philippe Coutinho and Firmino, who I absolutely love and think doesn’t get enough credit, Mane was able to change the dynamic in terms of us as an attacking force. I think we built on that and got so much better after he joined.
In terms of all-round play, Mane can do it all when he’s on top form. He’s got everything when he’s on his game.
Key players
At Wembley, I think Salah and Mane will be our main men. Even when the team’s not firing on all cylinders, Salah’s electric. He always shows up and you can’t ever discount him.
Firmino and Diogo Jota are carrying injuries, which isn’t good, but luckily Luis Diaz has hit the ground running. I didn’t know much about him but he’s really impressed me since joining.
If he can continue that form, if it’s him, Sadio and Salah who start, I’m not that worried in terms of our attacking threat.
Whether we win the game or not is another story. But in terms of our attacking prowess, I still think that’s a good line-up.
After the first Premier League meeting between the two teams this season finished 1-1, everyone came away with the notion that we didn’t perform as well as we should have because we were playing against 10 men, due to Reece James being sent off, and that Chelsea produced a defensive masterclass.
Klopp vs Tuchel
Even though I personally think it’s harder to play against 10, the psychological side of that result could be a factor because Chelsea seem to be able to grind out results. They’re good at winning when they need to and Thomas Tuchel has got that hold over Jurgen Klopp.
People don’t really talk about their rivalry but Tuchel seems to be the guy that can undo Klopp whenever they come up against each other.
It was also a draw at the Bridge and the final will be another close game — I definitely see it going to extra-time. I think it will come to down to an individual moment of magic as both teams are so evenly matched.
Squad for squad, I’d say Chelsea just have the edge, but I don’t think there will be much in it on the day.
The fact the Blues have won so many trophies in such a short space of time is going to serve them well — they know how to win big games.
Even though Romelu Lukaku isn’t getting the goals he’s expected to, their supporting cast is stellar. We all know what Hakim Ziyech can do and Mason Mount may be back as well, so it’s looking alright for them.
Although we’ve been playing well and have clawed back the gap at the top of the league, we haven’t reached the heights of when we were absolutely firing.
When we won the title, the first half of that season — and the one before as well — we were electric. Even against City, I thought we could go toe-to-toe with anyone.
Now, especially because we play that high line, I’m not so sure. It’s been a long time since we won the League Cup and it’s always spicy against Chelsea, but I’m quietly confident Liverpool will edge it.
There’s always been this general consensus that Klopp doesn’t care about domestic cups and I think that’s filtered through now. If we can get a cup and run it close in both the league and Champions League, I think it will have been a successful season.
Rickie Haywood-Williams was speaking to Gavin Glicksman
