Liverpool's "one club mentality" has been proven by their run to the EFL Cup final, according to Jurgen Klopp's assistant Pep Lijnders.
Reds assistant coach Lijnders has taken all of the pre-match news conferences ahead of EFL Cup games this season and Liverpool saw no reason to break with that tradition ahead of Sunday's clash with Chelsea at Wembley.
It will be the third major final between the sides, with Chelsea winning the previous two meetings – 3-2 in the 2004-05 EFL Cup and 2-1 in the 2011-12 FA Cup.
Liverpool, however, are in the hunt for a record ninth EFL Cup crown, with their last success in the competition coming in 2012 via a penalty shoot-out win over Cardiff City. This is their 13th final in the competition – at least four more than any other side – though their first since 2016, when they lost to Manchester City.
Lijnders believes Liverpool have blended youth and experience perfectly throughout their run to Wembley, and thinks this is a sign the Reds are now a truly elite club.
"We have tradition in both, history in both [cup competitions]," he said.
"This is a competition where we want to bring young talent to showcase, that's really important.
"If you look at the best teams in the world, what do they have in common? It is the one club mentality and this journey in the EFL Cup shows we have exactly that.
"Now we are two days away from a final and we want to go into it with all we have, make it a proper game, we can't wait of course to go to Wembley, see all the fans, hear them, feel them.
"For the whole club it is a big compliment. This competition is so much more than just the first team, it was a proper compliment to our academy as well.
"We have to be spot on but we really look forward to it. We don't want to be the best team in the world, but we want to be the team that is capable of the best teams in the world."
Lijnders has come more into the foreground this season, at least in terms of his media duties, but he emphasised the importance of Klopp's entire backroom team as Liverpool aim to win a third major trophy under the German.
"Jurgen is so much more than a colleague, I am really grateful and happy with the way we work together," Lijnders added.
"It's not just me and him, it's so much more backroom staff who constantly are in our ears to make decisions or put us to the right path. Our togetherness comes from something.
"If you have a group of staff that show leadership it is probably the most powerful tool, we want our team to see how we are and it is important that they see that the manager, assistant manager, the other assistants, all of us are so close. There's a team behind the team and a manager is as good as the team behind the team."
Liverpool, however, will not be changing their routine just because they are playing in a final.
"When we started this project, we came to the conclusion that the way to be successful was just to focus on the next game," Lijnders said.
"Our group created the mentality that each next game was a final, or we could never have reached the levels we reached. We see each game literally as a final so nothing changes. We really see each game as a final, believe me."
It was a sentiment echoed by captain Jordan Henderson, who said: "Nothing different to what I normally do. Yes, it's a cup final, you get everything around that, but you have to treat it as any other game. We'll give everything, hopefully that's enough for us to win the trophy."
Slot: Guardiola contract is 'good news' for Premier League
Arne Slot believes it is "good news" for the Premier League that Pep Guardiola has signed a contract extension with Manchester City.
The Spaniard signed a two-year extension with the reigning champions and will remain in the dugout at the Etihad until 2027.
He has won 18 major trophies in his time at City, including six Premier League titles, and twice beat Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool to the top-flight crown by a single point.
Guardiola averages 2.35 points per game in the Premier League, the highest rate of any manager (20+ matches). Indeed, he is so far ahead of the next highest (Alex Ferguson's 2.16), he could lose his next 26 league games in a row and would still be top.
Slot is yet to face City since taking over from Klopp at the start of the season, with the rivals' first meeting of the season set for December 1.
"It's good news for City and for the league because everyone wants the best managers and the best players over here," Slot said when asked about Guardiola's new contract.
"He is definitely one of the best managers, maybe the best manager of the league.
"He's won four titles in a row, so it's fair to say he's maybe the best manager in the league.
"On the other hand, they have so many quality players that, if he would have made the choice to leave, I wouldn't have expected them to end up bottom of the league next season."
Other Premier League managers echoed Slot's sentiment, with Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, who inflicted a fourth consecutive defeat on City before the international break, saying it is the "best thing that can happen to the Premier League".
"He is one of the best coaches in the world," Hurzeler said. "With his ideas, he always brings something new to the football stage, and it is always a challenge to compete against him.
"He always adapts quickly, always has new ideas and he can always win the game. I'm very happy because we can learn from him and to compete with him is a big, big experience."
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe added: "He's contributed so much to English football. He's revolutionised how a lot of teams play.
"I think he's incredibly talented, and it's good for the English game that he's still here.
"He will continue to develop and evolve his style, and people will potentially continue to follow that. From the competition side, I think it keeps the Premier League as the best in the world."
'Super simple' – Lille president rules out January exit for Jonathan David
Lille president Olivier Letang has categorically ruled out a January exit for forward Jonathan David amid links with a number of European clubs.
David is out of contract at the end of the season and has been touted as a target for the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and Barcelona.
Speaking this week, the Canada international named Barcelona as his "dream" club but suggested he would prefer not to leave Lille mid-season.
And in an interview with After Foot RMC, Letang confirmed no bids have yet been tabled ahead of the January window.
"We are not going to sell him in January, and we have not received any offer for him," he said.
"Jonathan's situation is super simple. We are very happy to have him with us.
"Last season he had one more year left on his contract. We were trying to qualify for the Champions League.
"You have a guy who scores 20 to 25 goals a season. We had no obligation to sell him."
David is into his fifth season with Lille and has scored 97 goals in 202 games for the Ligue 1 side in all competitions while assisting a further 18.
Seven of those goals have arrived in 11 appearances this term, including in Champions League games against Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
The 24-year-old's best league season with Lille saw him score 24 goals in 2022-23, while he has netted 19, 15 and 13 in the other full campaigns.
Lille chief Letang reiterated that David has been offered a new deal to stay on at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, but selling him has never been an option.
"He is a player who scores between 20 and 25 goals and helps us qualify for the Champions League," he said.
"Plus, Jonathan loves Lille, which is his club. Our position was very clear from the beginning – we think of the athlete.
"Obviously, he already has an offer that is in his hands, the ball is in his court."
Guardiola suggests Man City's recent form played part in signing new contract
Pep Guardiola suggested Manchester City's run of four successive defeats was part of the reason for his contract extension.
The 53-year-old recently signed a two-year deal, which will run out in 2027, ending months of speculation about his future after his contract had been due to run out at the end of the campaign.
Following a 2-1 defeat to Brighton before the international break, Guardiola's side have lost each of their last four matches in all competitions for the first time in his managerial career.
"I felt I could not leave now. Maybe the four defeats was why," he told the club's website.
"I think we deserve, after four defeats in a row, to bounce back and try to turn the situation. I think we deserve to be here. I am not arrogant to say, but it's the truth."
Guardiola has led Manchester City to 18 major trophies during his nine-year stint at the club and posted a 72% win ratio.
He added that he was determined to help the club get back to a state where they are "more stable and more consistent".
"We have to recover that because right now we don't have it and that's the target we have to do," he said.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak added: "Like every City fan, I am delighted that Pep's journey with Manchester City will continue, allowing his dedication, passion and innovative thinking to continue to shape the landscape of the game.
"His hunger for improvement and success remains insatiable and the direct beneficiaries of that will continue to be our players and coaching staff, the culture of our club, and the English game at large."
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