“You may see a real performance from Lukaku” – Trevor Sinclair explains how misfiring Chelsea man can succeed against Liverpool
Former England striker Trevor Sinclair has suggested that Chelsea could start misfiring striker Romelu Lukaku against Liverpool in the League Cup final on Sunday.
The Belgian has struggled to live up to the £97.5 million the Blues paid for his services in the summer. He has found the back of the net just 10 times in 28 games across all competitions.
Sinclair has also insisted that Lukaku was rested by the Chelsea manager rather than being benched. The 48-year-old told talkSPORT:
“I’ve got a funny feeling Lukaku will start. He’s rested, he’s had a difficult time but behind closed doors, I think Thomas Tuchel is managing that with the player."
Sinclair also claimed that Havertz could find it difficult to exploit the Reds' defence as he is not a natural number nine. He suggested that Tuchel might go back to Lukaku to lead the line in the League Cup final and the Belgian could hurt the Reds' defence.
“If you think about how Liverpool play and how Lukaku’s been successful in the past at Inter Milan, they were defending deep and hitting teams on the counter-attack. I don’t think Kai Havertz will have any impact on either [Joel] Matip or Virgil van Dijk if he plays for Chelsea."
"But if Lukaku does [play] and Liverpool press high, as they do at Wembley, you may see a real performance from Lukaku.”
Could Kai Havertz start instead of Romelu Lukaku in the Carabao Cup final? 🔵 https://t.co/eX0tnGmAPl
However, the Belgian's place in the starting XI for the League Cup final looks under threat with Thomas Tuchel leaving Lukaku on the bench in the Champions League in the midweek.
The German maestro opted to start Kai Havertz up front instead of Lukaku against Ligue 1 holders Lille in the first leg of their round of16 tie on Tuesday. The former Bayer Leverkusen star grabbed the opportunity with both hands as he opened the scoring for the Blues with Christian Pulisic scoring the second goal.
Can Lukaku help Chelsea overcome Liverpool?
Liverpool vs Chelsea in the League cup final should prove to be an entertainer with the two German managers looking to outplay each other.
Chelsea have already won the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup this campaign and will be looking to add another trophy to their cabinet.
One. More. Day.
#EFL | #CarabaoCupFinal https://t.co/ESwIQS9PSy
Klopp's side, on the other hand, will be looking to win their first piece of silverware since the Premier League in 2020. The Reds will be the favorites to win the tie owing to their superior form in recent weeks. However, Thomas Tuchel has the pedigree to turn things around.