Lukaku bench decision by Tuchel backed ahead of Carabao Cup final vs Liverpool

Jamie O'Hara has backed Thomas Tuchel to keep Romelu Lukaku on the bench for Sunday's Carabao Cup final.

Chelsea will face off against Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool at Wembley, where Tuchel will be looking to mastermind a fourth trophy in just 13 months as Blues boss.

And the German tactician recently made one of his biggest calls to date - dropping Lukaku for their convincing 2-0 victory over Lille in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The striker has endured a difficult second spell at Stamford Bridge following his eye-watering £97.5million homecoming transfer last August, returning just 10 goals from 28 appearances.

Lukaku's absence from the starting XI on Tuesday was perceived as a catalyst for a better team performance and O'Hara reckons Tuchel should continue to start Kai Havertz in his place, having made his mark by scoring the opening goal in the round-of-16 first leg.

Join the debate! Should Tuchel play Lukaku in the final? Comment your starting XI below.

"I think he has to [keep Lukaku on the bench]. They look so much more free-flowing," the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder told Grosvenor Sport.

"I'm a big fan of Lukaku, he scores goals wherever he goes, his goal record's amazing. But I think something's gone on there [between Lukaku and Tuchel] and I think they've fallen out, haven't they?

"The manager's not coming out and really backing him in the media saying, 'no, we're gonna work with him, we're gonna keep giving him moments to score, he's a top player'.

"He hasn't really said that, he's kind of said, 'well yeah, it's down to him'. That can sometimes knock your confidence a little bit more as a player and I think Lukaku - even though he is this big, strong, massive lad - does lack a little bit of confidence..

"I think he needs a manager who's gonna give him confidence and I dunno if Tuchel's giving him that at the minute.

"I don't think he'll play, I think he'll play Havertz because they look better without him, free-flowing - and they paid a fortune for him as well."

So, how does O'Hara see Sunday's showpiece going?

Chelsea have been successful in three of the four finals that they've played since Tuchel took over last January, while Liverpool last won a domestic trophy in 2012, needing a penalty shoot-out to beat Championship underdogs Cardiff City.

The Blues have triumphed in three English cup competitions over the proceeding decade and collected a further five European crowns to the Reds' two, as well as boasting a far superior tally of Premier League titles.

"I think Chelsea have become a bit of a cup team, haven't they?" O'Hara posed. "They're a little bit inconsistent over the course of a season but in any one-off game, you'd expect them to turn up and beat you.

"They're a Champions League team, they won the Club World Cup and always get to finals domestically. I feel like they've become that sort of side.

"So I think that might help and [Sunday] might be one that they think they can probably get a result in. I watched them against Lille the other night and I thought they were good.

"They didn't control the game but so many good performances; Havertz, [N'Golo] Kante and Thiago Silva - what a player he is. 37 years of age, it's like having John Terry back in your side. It's unbelievable.

"But I think Chelsea might knick it, you know. I think Liverpool have been banging the drum in the Premier League, so I think Chelsea might knick it."