Liverpool midfielder Emre Can desperate for silverware
Emre Can believes winning the Capital One Cup will put Liverpool on the right path to success under Jurgen Klopp.
Less than five months after taking over at Anfield, Klopp, who on his first day had no issue stating his intent to win titles, will lead his side out for a final at Wembley against Manchester City.
He will be the first Liverpool manager to do so since Kenny Dalglish in 2012 when the Merseysiders visited what was nicknamed 'Anfield South' during the glory years of the 1980s twice for the FA Cup and League Cup final, winning the latter for their only trophy in the last decade.
There have been a number of close calls - Klopp's predecessor Brendan Rodgers got them to two semi-finals last season but failed in both, dismally so against a poor Aston Villa side in the FA Cup - but Can thinks victory against City on Sunday could be the start of regular successes.
"I played one Supercup final (in 2012) against Borussia Dortmund and against Jurgen Klopp for Bayern Munich and we won and that is the biggest game I've had in my career so far," said the Germany midfielder.
"I think it is the best feeling in the world to win trophies and that is what I could do in the Supercup and that is what I want more times.
"I came to Liverpool to win trophies. Liverpool is the same (as Bayern). Both are big clubs and they want to win titles and that is what I want here as I wanted at Bayern Munich.
"It is very important for us to win a trophy. We are such a young team so to get that feeling you can win trophies we can then say we are in the right way."
Forward Adam Lallana, midfielder Joe Allen and defender Martin Skrtel have all returned to training with the first team but may find it difficult to win a place for the showpiece.
The first two have not featured since February 6 because of calf and hamstring problems while the Reds' Slovakian centre-back has been sidelined since mid-December, although fellow defender Dejan Lovren has recovered from illness earlier this week.
Klopp made just one change for Thursday's Europa League win over Augsburg and with Lucas Leiva occupying a role in defence in that game the manager has to decide whether to swap him with a genuine centre-back or a midfielder.
Meanwhile, Manchester City left-back Gael Clichy is preparing for an emotional trip to Wembley.
For the 30-year-old, the stadium means much more than football as memories are sure to come flooding back of last November's friendly between England and France.
Clichy was not part of the France squad that night, after the start of his season was ruined by an ankle injury, but the emotion of the occasion affected him greatly.
The game took place just four days after the Bataclan Paris attacks in which 129 people were killed and fans and players of both sides stood together to sing the French national anthem in tribute to those lost.
"Even though I am not an English player, Wembley is a name you know when you are a kid," said Clichy. "You want to play in those kind of stadiums.
"It is an amazing stadium and hopefully it will be full with blue and red colours, but right now the image that comes to mind was the game England played against France and seeing those colours, everyone united for the same reason.
"I think football is a beautiful game and those kind of days are beautiful and that is why we play football. Of course we want to win it but we are going to try to enjoy it as well."
Clichy is not a certain starter as both he and Aleksandar Kolarov are used regularly by Manuel Pellegrini in the left-back slot.
The City boss has been boosted by Wilfried Bony and Jesus Navas, who are expected to return to the squad after training fully on Friday.
Pellegrini is also hopeful captain Vincent Kompany, ex-Reds winger Raheem Sterling and Bacary Sagna will be fine to feature after undergoing recovery sessions away from the main group.
Goalkeeper Willy Caballero will start between the sticks and Bersant Celina, Manu Garcia and Aleix Garcia could all be in the squad, although Fabian Delph, Kevin De Bruyne and Samir Nasri are all long-term absentees.
Source: PAR
