Clyne Hoping for Success in First Ever Cup Final

The League Cup isn't exactly the most respected domestic cup tournament in England. It's fun if you win it, but most fans won't throw themselves on a funeral pyre in anguish if their club crashes out of the competition. Fans may be jaded, but for players like Nathaniel Clyne there's still a bit of the ol' magic of the cup to be found in the first of England's domestic trophies to be awarded this season.

"I imagine it will be a good feeling to walk out at Wembley for a final," said the fullback in advance of Sunday's League Cup final. "It will be a tense game. My dream was always to play at the very top, competing at the biggest level, playing in the Premier League and everyone loves to win stuff.  This is why I'm here. Hopefully we can start with this.

"It will be massive for me to win a trophy. When you look back on your career you want to be able to say you won tournaments or trophies and got medals. It will be my first final, hopefully we can win and that will push us as a team on to many more trophies too."

Clyne is one of a handful of players in Liverpool's side who spent time toiling in the Championship before making his way to the Premier League. The defender spent four seasons at Crystal Palace in the second division before moving to Southampton upon the latter's promotion to the Premier League in 2012. Clyne's former Saints and current Liverpool teammate Adam Lallana has spoken fondly of winning the Johnstone's Paint Trophy in 2010, and Clyne is taking the much maligned League Cup just as seriously.

"My mum is coming on Sunday," Clyne continued. "She has been to most of my games. My family will be there supporting me. So hopefully we can win and she can see me lift my first cup there.  Seeing me lift the cup can make all the work she put in with me worthwhile. She will be buzzing for me, so will my friends and the rest of my family. Hopefully all that time and effort can be rewarded with a trophy."