League Cup Final
Liverpool 1 , Newcastle United 2 at Full time
Key Events
Liverpool: F. Chiesa (90’+4)Goal 90 minutes plus 4
Newcastle United
D. Burn (45′)Goal 45 minutes
A. Isak (52′)Goal 52 minutes
Assists
Liverpool,H. Elliott (90’+4)
Newcastle United,K. Trippier (45′), J. Murphy (52′)
Venue: Wembley Stadium
Attendance:88,513
Newcastle United secured their first domestic trophy for 70 years – and ended a wait for a major prize stretching back to 1969 – with a deserved Carabao Cup final win over Liverpool at Wembley.
The Toon Army were sent into ecstasy as goals either side of half-time by Dan Burn and Alexander Isak put them on course for a triumph that will lead to legendary status on Tyneside for manager Eddie Howe and his players.
Burn celebrated his first England call-up by meeting Kieran Trippier’s corner with a towering header in first-half stoppage time, before Isak pounced to finish clinically from Jacob Murphy’s knockdown after 52 minutes.
Liverpool, who were knocked out of the Champions League on penalties by Paris St-Germain in midweek, pulled a goal back through substitute Federico Chiesa in injury time.
Newcastle, however, survived a tense finish to clinch their first major silverware since the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969 and first domestic success since the 1955 FA Cup.
Howe’s heroes march into history
The final whistle at Wembley was greeted with an outpouring of joy by Newcastle fans, as their side sealed a win that means a trophy finally goes back to Tyneside after a 56-year wait.
This triumph will mean as much as any trophy ever won by the Magpies and ensures a place in Geordie history for Howe – the manager who engineered the triumph – and the team who thoroughly merited a victory that will live forever in the hearts and minds of their fans. It will also mean a place in Europe next season.
Newcastle carried more energy and threat throughout than a limp Liverpool, although the final moments played on the nerves of all those in black and white when Chiesa’s goal was given after lengthy deliberation by the Video Assistant Referee for offside.
Boyhood Newcastle fan Burn was called up by new England boss Thomas Tuchel on Friday – and the 32-year-old defender crowned the finest week of his career by taking advantage of slack Liverpool marking to open the scoring.
Isak doubled the Magpies’ lead with a superbly taken strike which gave Newcastle well-deserved breathing space after the break.
Howe’s side were superior to Liverpool in all areas, with Joelinton giving a momentous performance in midfield – rallying supporters after winning tackles and never giving Arne Slot’s team a moment’s peace.
This win marks a historic moment for Newcastle, ending the barren years and a run of nine successive Wembley defeats since they lifted the FA Cup seven decades ago.
It started the party of all parties inside Wembley – and one that will carry on all the way back to Tyneside.
Newcastle beat Liverpool to win Carabao Cup final – as it happened
Lacklustre Liverpool fall short again
Liverpool’s season still looks certain to end with them as Premier League champions – but their hopes of adding further trophies were dashed this week.
Their Champions League campaign ended against PSG, who deserved to go through to a quarter-final against Aston Villa, and the Reds can have no complaints after they were beaten by a superior Newcastle side in a far more convincing manner than the narrow scoreline suggests.
Liverpool looked tired and timid on Sunday, and even the late hope given to them by Chiesa’s goal never looked likely to be the catalyst for a comeback.
Mohamed Salah was kept quiet by Tino Livramento, while the defending for Burn’s opening goal bordered on the farcical – the giant defender was effectively left unattended from Trippier’s corner, with the diminutive Alexis Mac Allister the closest in attendance.
Liverpool’s midfield looked leggy and laboured, over-powered by Newcastle’s, while they were punished for more slack marking by Isak’s deadly finish for the second.
Slot’s side have started to look like they are running on empty and he will hope the international break might allow them to regroup and provide fresh impetus for what should be a procession towards a record-equalling 20th title.
Liverpool’s season has been outstanding – but this cup final loss completes a very bad week.
