League Cup memories: 'Why I was so confident we'd win that shootout'

The former Liverpool goalkeeper emerged as the hero in Cardiff that year as he saved two Birmingham City spot-kicks to win the trophy for Gerard Houllier’s side.

The Dutchman remembers informing his teammates prior to the shootout of his incredible record - which he maintained until his retirement - to calm the nerves of the players in red who were about to strike from 12 yards out.

“I told everybody 'I've never lost one, take it easy',” he explained to Liverpoolfc.com. “I was trying to take the pressure off. 

“We kind of had the confidence we needed because that's the most important thing. You could see in the faces of the Birmingham players, they weren't so confident. 

“I think I saved their first one and our penalties were unbelievable.”

After Darren Purse had equalised Robbie Fowler's first-half strike with a spot-kick in the final seconds, extra-time could not separate the two sides.

But that set up Westerveld's chance to save Andy Johnson's penalty and begin celebrations for the red half of the Millennium Stadium.

The stopper recalled: “I remember Johnson coming up and you could see in his face that he wasn't really confident.

“It's really strange because as a goalkeeper afterwards you think back. When he kicked that ball and I was diving to the left, it [felt like it] took a couple of seconds but if you watch it back it's like a split-second. 

“I was in the air and saw the ball coming then I was smiling mid-air because I knew I was going to save it. 

“When you save it at the end where all the Liverpool supporters were, it was the best feeling ever, especially for a goalkeeper. 

“For me, it was one of the best games I played for Liverpool and one of the best feelings I've had.”

Given what is at stake in these games, it is understandable and perhaps even normal for footballers to feel nervous ahead of a cup final, often struggling to sleep the night before.

However, the former Netherlands international was the polar opposite and felt in check ahead of the clash with Trevor Francis' team.

Westerveld explains how he even had to take special measures to feel any kind of anxiety before he went out on the pitch.

“I was never nervous for any game,” he added. “Sometimes that's good, especially when you're in England because there's full stadiums and all the healthy tension around the game came by itself.

“To get the tension I used to drink a lot of coffee before the game because I felt that I had to be a little bit nervous because it wasn't normal that I wasn't feeling anything.” 

His heroics delivered the first trophy of an incredible 2000-01 season for Liverpool, who would go on to add the FA Cup and UEFA Cup to the honours list - ending a six-year silverware wait for the club.

And Westerveld believes the season would not have ended so successfully without the shootout victory over the First Division side.

The 41-year-old added: “After winning [in Cardiff] we had that sensation when you're standing there with the cup and it gives everybody a lift. Everybody is like 'this is what we want for the future'.

“[We got used to] the experience and the pressure because some players get nervous before and if you have another one [final] then it gets easier.

“It was definitely a springboard to further success. If we wouldn't have won that game then I don't think we would have won all of those [other] cups.

“It was so important because it was the first one after such a long time of not winning anything. Getting the experience at Cardiff, playing a final and competing until the end gave us the experience we needed in the next couple of finals we played.”