Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp criticized referee Chris Kavanagh for what he deemed as a lack of officiating standard during their 1-0 victory against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.

Klopp’s frustration stemmed from Kavanagh’s decision not to penalize Moisés Caicedo for a tackle on Ryan Gravenberch, which forced the Dutch midfielder off the pitch just 22 minutes into the game.

Despite the severity of the challenge, Kavanagh allowed play to continue without consulting VAR, which left Klopp astonished. The incident compounded Liverpool’s injury woes, with 11 key players currently sidelined.

“It [Caicedo’s challenge] was not even a foul? Then the fourth official explaining we cannot give a card… good idea,” Klopp remarked. “This situation was obvious for me, everything you need for a card. They did an x-ray [on Gravenberch]. It is not broken, but the ligaments got something.”

Looking ahead to their FA Cup fifth-round clash against Southampton, Klopp expressed concern about fielding a team due to the extensive injury list. 

Despite the challenges, Klopp praised the resilience of his squad, especially the young players who stepped up during the final.

Liverpool’s victory marked the first of potentially four trophies in Klopp’s final season as manager, highlighting the team’s character and determination.