Jurgen Klopp plays down 'crazy' quadruple hopes as Liverpool prepare for FA Cup test

Anfield giants already have one trophy but manager is keeping his feet on the ground

Liverpool's Jordan Henderson lifts the League Cup trophy after defeating Chelsea in a penalty shoot-out at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, February 27, 2022. Reuters

Chelsea's Kepa Arrizabalaga is consoled by teammates after the match. Reuters

Caoimhin Kelleher of Liverpool lifts the Carabao Cup trophy. Getty

Liverpool's Diogo Jota, Caoimhin Kelleher, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson and Ibrahima Konate celebrate after winning the penalty shoot-out in the League Cup final against Liverpool. Reuters

Liverpool players celebrate after victory in the penalty shoot-out in the League Cup final against Chelsea at the Wembley Stadium. Getty

Caoimhin Kelleher of Liverpool scores his team's eleventh penalty in the shoot-out. Getty

Chelsea's Kepa Arrizabalaga, centre, comes on to replace Edouard Mendy. AFP

Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku reacts after scoring in the shoot-out. Reuters

Ngolo Kante of Chelsea fouls Andrew Robertson of Liverpool during the League Cup final. Getty

Chelsea's German striker Timo Werner scores but the goal is ruled offside during the League Cup final at Wembley Stadium. AFP

Referee Stuart Attwell shows the yellow card to Mateo Kovacic of Chelsea on Sunday. EPA

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp during the final. AFP

English referee Stuart Attwell checks the pitch-side monitor after being advised of a foul by VAR, before disallowing a goal from Liverpool's Joel Matip. AFP

Chelsea's Kai Havertz has a shot on goal during the League Cup final at Wembley Stadium. PA

Liverpool's Fabinho reacts during the League Cup final. PA

Liverpool's Joel Matip celebrates with his team-mates after scoring, before it was later disallowed. PA

Jurgen Klopp has said it is “crazy” to suggest that Liverpool can win the quadruple by pointing out that no English club has ever done that.

Liverpool secured the first silverware of the season by overcoming Chelsea on penalties in the League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday and host Norwich on Wednesday with a place in the last eight of the FA Cup at stake.

They are on course to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League after winning the first leg of their tie against Internazionale 2-0 in Italy, though Klopp pointed out that they still trail Manchester City in the Premier League, with Pep Guardiola’s side six points clear.

And Klopp said: “No team in the history of English football has won the quadruple. That is because it is incredibly difficult. We are not close to thinking about any crazy stuff like that. Even City, with all the quality they have, in the last years couldn’t win the quadruple. That says pretty much everything.”

City did a domestic treble in 2019, when they were knocked out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals. Manchester United are the only English club to win the Premier League, the Champions League and the FA Cup in the same season, courtesy of Sir Alex Ferguson in 1999.

Liverpool have done two other trebles, with Joe Fagan’s team winning the old Division 1, the European Cup and the FA Cup in 1984 and Gerard Houllier’s side lifted both domestic cups and the Uefa Cup in 2001.

While Trent Alexander-Arnold captioned a picture of himself with the League Cup “1/4”, his manager does not welcome talk of the quadruple as praise.

“I don’t want these kind of compliments,” Klopp said. “We are close to nothing at the moment. It is better people think we can do good things than we are useless but it is not important or even helpful. We face a lot of really good teams between now and the end of May.”

Liverpool have beaten Norwich twice already this season, though Dean Smith’s side took the lead at Anfield before losing 3-1 11 days ago. After playing 120 minutes in what Klopp felt was the most intense cup final he can remember, he has vowed to make changes.

He will be without Thiago Alcantara, who was injured in the warm-up on Sunday. The midfielder may be fit for next week’s rematch with Inter. A double Champions League winner, he was pictured in tears on the bench at Wembley, being consoled by Alisson, and Klopp added: “He is not crying now. For the one player who won the most silverware in the whole squad showing that kind of emotion, I like the desire to play a final a lot.”

Luis Diaz is available after Klopp confirmed fatigue was the reason he was taken off on Sunday but the unused substitutes then – Alisson, Kostas Tsimikas, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Takumi Minamino – plus Joe Gomez and Curtis Jones, who did not make the squad, could be in for more prominent roles, along with the five replacements who played a maximum of 41 minutes each.

One of them, Harvey Elliott, has been contacted by the FA after he held a flare in his celebrations. Klopp will speak to the teenager and said: “I can promise he will not do it again. Do I think it is the worst thing that happened in the world of football? No, but in the moment I got carried away and I am nearly four times as old as him.”

Norwich are set to be without three of their back four from Friday’s defeat to Southampton, with captain Grant Hanley suspended and full-backs Brandon Williams and Max Aarons injured.