"More or less the same characteristics" - Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta makes major claim about Liverpool trio ahead of FA Cup final
Chelsea and Liverpool are gearing up to face each other once again in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium later today.
Ahead of the encounter, Blues defender Cesar Azpilicueta has highlighted the similarities between three of Jurgen Klopp's attackers, namely Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Luis Diaz.
The trio have impressed with their performances in recent weeks and are expected to be included in the team to face Chelsea in today's game.
Cesar Azpilicueta has observed that all three attackers love to spend time in the opposition box and create a lot of chances. The Spaniard told talkSPORT:
“They are the kind of forwards that run a lot, they press, they attack the line. Every chance they get, they want to get forward, they want to be in the box, they want to create chances."
It goes without saying that the three Liverpool attackers are good examples of modern wingers. They love to cut inside from the flanks, tormenting opposition defenses while scoring goals and creating chances.
Cesar Azpilicueta couldn't help but compare the trio to the orthodox wingers he faced at the earlier stages of his career. He observed:
“Back in the day, the wingers were more wingers. I faced more one-against-one. They wanted to cross the ball more. The wingers now are more forwards. They want to attack the ball and create chances."
The Chelsea defender added.
“In the Liverpool side, the different options they have, they have more or less the same characteristics. They want to attack the line and the three of them (Salah, Mane, Diaz) want to create chances."
How Chelsea and Liverpool have fared against each other this season
The two clubs have clashed twice in the Premier League this season, with both meetings ending in draws. Liverpool and Chelsea also went head-to-head in the EFL Cup final in February, which the Reds won via a penalty shoot-out.
Having lost the EFL Cup to the Reds this term, Thomas Tuchel's men will be looking forward to earning a statement victory at Wembley today.