Hasselbaink 'surprised' by Tuchel decision for Chelsea's clash with Liverpool

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink said he was ‘surprised’ Romelu Lukaku missed out on Chelsea’s starting XI for the Carabao Cup final as he felt the striker had the perfect game to disrupt Liverpool’s high line.

Thomas Tuchel instead opted for an attack of Christian Pulisic, Kai Havertz and Mason Mount at Wembley, with Lukaku having to settle for a place on the bench for a second game running.

Lukaku played the full 90 minutes of the Blues’ 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace last weekend, but was an unused substitute versus Lille in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The Belgium international has struggled to live up to expectations after swapping Inter Milan for Stamford Bridge in a club-record £100million deal last summer and went public questioning his role under Tuchel in December.

‘I am a little bit surprised. It’s a final, it’s a big game. Yes, he’s not in form and Havertz is in form, but they can play together,’ former Chelsea and Netherlands attacker Hasselbaink told Sky Sports.

‘But more because they are playing against Liverpool. Liverpool play with a high line.

‘If you remember the 2-2, Liverpool struggled with the balls behind and have the power and pace of Lukaku going in behind. It’s a problem.’

Asked whether he’d have started Lukaku, Hasselbaink replied: ‘Yes, I think so.

‘It’s Wembley, big pitch, big spaces. We know how Liverpool plays and you need to attack Liverpool if you’re going to beat them.

‘You need to contend them as well, but you need to attack them and make the back four uncomfortable.

‘I’m not saying that it can’t be done with Havertz. He’s a different kind of player, he will come more to the ball, he will be more in pockets.

‘Other players will have to go around him [Lukaku] and go into the space,