FeatureOn this day: Liverpool win League Cup final to ignite treble pursuit

Indeed, today’s scenario also played out exactly 23 years ago, when the Reds met Birmingham City in the 2001 edition of the tournament’s showpiece match.

Cardiff hosted what would prove to be a key staging post in an historic season. A treble that, for now, remains unique – League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup – was won during the zenith of the Gerard Houllier era.

Jürgen Klopp’s 2023-24 squad could, of course, emulate Houllier’s team by securing all three of those trophies this season. First up in that pursuit is this afternoon’s Carabao Cup final versus Chelsea at Wembley.

But let’s rewind to 2001 and the beginning of an enduring Liverpudlian love affair with the Millennium Stadium.

Six years had passed since the club’s last piece of silverware but Houllier had built a powerful, deep squad that would, soon enough, verify its trophy-winning credentials.

Liverpool went into the game as overwhelming favourites to beat second-tier outfit Birmingham but, as has so often been the case in finals down the years, the Reds flirted with danger before getting the job done in dramatic circumstances.

It appeared that a comfortable afternoon was on the cards when captain Robbie Fowler opened the scoring after half an hour in quite brilliant fashion.

A long ball forward by goalkeeper Sander Westerveld was met with a towering Emile Heskey knockdown and there was Fowler. The skipper conjured a beautiful, arcing 25-yard half-volley that dipped over helpless Blues stopper Ian Bennett.

Chances came and went for Liverpool to afford themselves a greater cushion and, with an air of inevitability, their profligacy was punished when Darren Purse slotted home a late penalty to force extra-time.

Both teams then had opportunities to render a shootout unnecessary but after 120 minutes they were deadlocked at 1-1.

Houllier’s men duly took command by converting their first three spot-kicks, but a Dietmar Hamann miss left the door ajar for Birmingham to spring a shock. It was finely poised at 4-4 when Jamie Carragher stepped up and located the top corner with style and calm.

“It was sudden death but I didn’t have any nerves. I knew where I wanted to put it and thankfully it went in,” the defender said later.

Blues forward Andrew Johnson then had to convert to keep the underdogs’ hopes alive, but Westerveld read his intentions, sprung to his left and palmed the ball away.

The six-year wait was over and Houllier’s team had taken their first step towards a remarkable and unforgettable treble.