Chelsea, Liverpool or Arsenal? Ferdinand makes Carabao Cup prediction

Joe Williams
Rio Ferdinand talks about Chelsea

Rio Ferdinand thinks Chelsea will emerge victorious in this season’s Carabao Cup final at Wembley on February 27.

The Blues are already through to the showpiece event after comfortably beating London rivals Tottenham 3-0 on aggregate over two legs in the semi-final.

Following the postponement of their first leg due to Covid cases in Liverpool’s camp, the Reds and Arsenal still have their second leg to play this week with the tie finely poised at 0-0.


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Chelsea are two points adrift of Liverpool in the Premier League table with Jurgen Klopp’s side having a game in hand on Thomas Tuchel’s men, while Arsenal occupy fifth place in the standings.

But Ferdinand sees Chelsea winning the Carabao Cup final as they “know how to win cup competitions” following their Chamoions League triumph last term.

“I think Chelsea will win it,” Ferdinand said on Vibe with FIVE. “I think Chelsea will win it, Chelsea know how to win cup competitions, they’ve got that about them.

“They won the Champions League, they’ve got the confidence, they know how to do it on the day, I see them doing it.”

Meanwhile, Chelsea scooped three individual prizes at the Best FIFA Football Awards, with Tuchel, Emma Hayes and Edouard Mendy all winning their categories.

Tuchel and Hayes were named men’s and women’s coach of the year respectively, while Mendy won the men’s goalkeeper award.

Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski won the men’s player award for the second year running and Barcelona midfielder Alexia Putellas was named women’s player of the year.

Tuchel, rewarded for steering Chelsea to Champions League glory last season, said he was shocked to receive the award, having been on a three-man shortlist with Pep Guardiola and Italy coach Roberto Mancini.

He said: “I’ve just come from training because we have a game (on Tuesday), but now you opened the envelope and said my name, it’s pretty surreal.

“I’m overwhelmed, I feel a bit uncomfortable actually. I enjoy the journey and I enjoy the club, it’s a good fit. The company on the journey is so good, so I’m grateful to have such supportive people around me, to feel so good in such a competitive club.”

The 48-year-old German, who replaced Frank Lampard at Stamford Bridge in January 2021, also led Chelsea to the FA Cup final and a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League.