Liverpool players whipped up the celebrations for Takumi Minamino after Carabao Cup win

Liverpool’s Takumi Minamino got his hands on the Carabao Cup on Sunday evening.

On a triumphant night for the Reds that ended a 10-year wait for League Cup glory, Minamino was able to soak up his second major honour as a Liverpool player having also lifted the Premier League title.

The 27-year-old might not have played a single minute under the Wembley arch, but everyone from Jurgen Klopp to the Kopites in the stands will be acutely aware of the massive role that he played.

Besides, while Minamino’s time on Merseyside hasn’t been without its road bumps and disappointments, there’s no denying his vital influence over the club’s journey to winning the Carabao Cup.

The Japanese international set Liverpool’s wheels in motion by scoring a brace in the third round win at Norwich City, before maintaining their momentum with the winning goal at Preston North End.

However, Minamino’s biggest contribution along the road to Wembley was undoubtedly his match-saving performance in the quarter-final clash with Leicester City that almost culminated in the Reds’ elimination.

Yes, he might have missed his spot-kick in the penalty shootout that eventually settled the game, but it was his stoppage-time equaliser that saved Liverpool from a 3-2 defeat at Anfield in the first place.

As such, in amongst all the joyous celebrations upon beating Chelsea in north London, there had to be a quiet acknowledgement that none of it would have been possible without Minamino.

So, bearing all of that in mind, it’s not hard to imagine why the moment that Minamino got his chance to lift the League Cup trophy in front of the Liverpool fans at Wembley was a special one.

And the Liverpool players themselves were all-too aware of that fact as they ensured that