InterviewCaoimhin Kelleher's normal plans for a dream Wembley day

The goalkeeper will stride out at Wembley on Sunday afternoon for what he considers the biggest game of his career yet when Liverpool face Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final.

Continuing his role as Jürgen Klopp’s designated man between the posts in the competition, the 23-year-old will be cheered on by the Kelleher family, travelling over from the Republic of Ireland, and more than 32,000 Kopites in the pursuit of a trophy the Reds last lifted a decade ago.

But for all the heightened sense of occasion, the No.62 is planning to approach the contest like any other, relying on the routine and mentality that have underpinned his progress from Academy hopeful to respected senior stopper.

“I’m really excited,” Kelleher told Liverpoolfc.com. “It’s what everyone dreams of when you are a young kid growing up: going to Wembley to play in a cup final. It doesn’t come much bigger than that so I’m very excited, the whole team is excited and it will be a great occasion.”

On his specific preparations for the final, he added: “To be fair, what I would rather do is maybe just go about it like I would a normal game, to be honest, and just treat it like that.

“We prepare well all of the time as a goalkeeping unit so I think just doing that and being prepared for the game will be my main focus.”

The League Cup has been a major spur in Kelleher’s career trajectory since his Reds debut came in the tournament in September 2019.

There was the sensational 5-5 draw with Arsenal at Anfield the following month in which the ’keeper from Cork made a vital save during the penalty shootout that separated the sides.

During this season’s edition, he saved a spot-kick in normal time to aid Liverpool’s third-round win at Norwich City, stopped another two penalties to see off Leicester City in a quarter-final shootout, and then chalked up a clean sheet in the decisive last-four victory away against Arsenal.

“I’ve always loved this competition because I’ve had opportunities to play games in this competition,” he said. “So I’ve always loved this competition, and hopefully now it will be special to win it.

“It’s a great occasion for the fans. They all make the trip down to Wembley, it’s a great thing for them, and hopefully we can bring the cup home.

“And when we do look to them they will be there in full support and it will be great for us to have them there, so hopefully we can get the win and we can give them what they deserve.”

Experienced winners in the form of Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea stand in the way of Klopp’s men adding a ninth League Cup triumph to the club’s honours list.

Since being crowned European champions last term, the Blues have also claimed the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup during 2021-22 so far.

Kelleher was in the Liverpool goal for the second of the sides’ Premier League showdowns in January, a pulsating 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge that followed a 1-1 between them at Anfield earlier in the campaign.

“Obviously a very tough opponent,” he said. “We’ve had two tough games against them and very intense games for both of us.

“We’ll try to learn from the two games that we’ve played already, try to be prepared for this game and hopefully we’ll be ready for them and try to get the win this time. But it will be a tough game, no doubt.”

That aforementioned normal routine does not include any superstitions in Kelleher’s case, with the incentive of providing fans with another memory to cherish set to be his sole focus when he takes to the Wembley turf.

Asked what it would mean to win the trophy, he said: “It would be really nice. We haven’t won this trophy for a while now so it would be really nice.

“Obviously it’s the earliest trophy you can win in the season so it would be a big confidence boost for the whole team if we could get a trophy this early on, and then hopefully it will kick us on for the rest of the season.

“Hopefully the fans can enjoy the occasion. It’s a big occasion and us as a team we’ll do our best to try to bring the cup back for them.”