Fans were treated to some truly end to end football during the Carabao Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool. Both sides created their fair share of chances, unfortunately, some woeful finishing meant that the score remained level throughout.
Nevertheless, the defences of both teams were certainly on top form, and unsurprisingly, the stars at the back were Thiago Silva and Virgil van Dijk.
While VVD took home the MOTM trophy, nothing can be taken away from Silva’s performance on the night, as the Brazilian was simply faultless. He simply didn’t put a foot wrong throughout the 120 minutes, and this clip showcases just how switched on he was.
This is actually ridiculous. Look at where 37 year old Thiago Silva starts & how he manages to get back on the line ahead of any other chelsea player. pic.twitter.com/r2RqieXnsS
— Felix ⭐️⭐️ (@CFC_Felix_) February 27, 2022
As seen in the clip, after poor distribution by Mendy in the Chelsea goal, the ball falls for Mo Salah, who only has their keeper to beat.
The likes of N’Golo Kante, Trevoh Chalobah, Mateo Kovacic etc can be seen tracking back for the Blues, however, they evidently left it to fate as Salah was too far ahead to catch up with.
One can then spot Thiago Silva, who looks to be charging back from an offensive position. The Brazilian appeared to have judged the direction of Salah’s attempt at goal, as he strides past Kante, Kovacic and Chalobah and clears the ball near the goal line.
On inspection, it does appear that the chipped effort was off-target, however, Silva left nothing up to chance and ensured that the score remained level.
‘O Monstro’s’ dedication, despite being 37 years old, is an incredible sight, especially when you take into account his decorated career. The Brazilian has nothing to prove, yet he always performs to his absolute fullest.
