There was little to separate Chelsea and Liverpool for effort, entertainment and intent through most of the League Cup final on Sunday but the Reds came through 1-0 winners and their opponents will rue missed chances and a drop in intensity in extra time.

Desperately disappointed Chelsea coach Mauricio Pochettino said he was proud of his young side, who were feeling pain.

“They are very competitive... They need to feel the pain. Nothing you can tell me can make me feel better. Nothing,” he told a news conference.

The Argentine coach said he made a few changes in extra time such as substituting Conor Gallagher and Ben Chilwell because of fatigue.

“But it’s true, we didn’t keep the energy how we finished the second half,” Pochettino added.

Many would argue that overall Chelsea enjoyed the better opportunities. “We created four, five, six big chances and we didn’t score,” Pochettino said.

Chelsea have suffered from a lack of sharpness in front of goal throughout the season.

“We need to improve,” Pochettino said.