Kepa Tried To Psyche Out Virgil Van Dijk On His Penalty And It Definitely Didn't Work

Kepa's own penalty wasn't the only one that left him embarrassed, as Virgil van Dijk completely destroyed the Chelsea goalkeeper's attempts to psyche him out.

Rarely ever has any player managed to have such a disastrous appearance in such a short amount of time as Kepa's in the Carabao Cup final.

The Chelsea keeper was left out of the starting line up against Liverpool, despite playing the games in the rest of the competition, but came on just a minute for penalties.

Thomas Tuchel's move, that worked in the UEFA Super Cup earlier in the season, backfired as Kepa blazed over the penalty that saw Liverpool win the cup.

Not only did he fail to score his own attempt, which is excusable for a keeper in fairness, but the Spaniard also failed to save any of Liverpool's attempts.

Van Dijk may have broken him after just the third spot kick, as Kepa attempted to psyche out the Dutchman, only for him to blast it past the keeper and then stared him down after.

This was a big alpha male move from Van Dijk. Kepa standing to one side, gets beaten on that side anyway. pic.twitter.com/DuZo9FcLAF

— Sam Dean (@SamJDean) February 27, 2022

United fan, have to say I love this pic.twitter.com/FHqorTT5HW

— Tomás Morren 🔰 (@studio_tomas) February 27, 2022

From there the 27-year-old didn't get too close to many of the Reds' penalties, apart from Ibrahima Konate's effort, the last one before the keeper's stepped up themselves.

Van Dijk's efforts in smashing Kepa's mind games into pieces was reminiscent of Andrea Pirlo's Panenka effort against England in Euro 2012.

Joe Hart was bouncing along his line, trying to put Italian takers off, and had already saved from Riccardo Montolivo when Pirlo stepped up.

The classy midfielder effortlessly chipped the ball down the centre of the goal, making a fool of Hart, and from there the England goalkeeper didn't get close to any other efforts, as Italy went through after two England misses.

On this day in 2012, Andrea Pirlo scored this penalty against Joe Hart!

"Joe Hart looked very confident in himself, so I thought we had to bring him down a peg or two."

(via @UEFAEURO) pic.twitter.com/CpsGzYXPN6

— Photos of Football (@photosofootball) June 24, 2019

Van Dijk will have already felt aggrieved after it was his 'interference' that cost Klopp's side going ahead in normal time, which ended in penalties being required.

The former Southampton defender was in an offside position when he blocked off a Chelsea defender, when Sadio Mane headed across goal for Joel Matip to score.

At full time he would have been much happier, knowing he'd scored his penalty and potentially broken Kepa's spirit, handing his side the first trophy of the season.