Liverpool and Newcastle United are set for a magical League Cup final on Sunday, with both sides desperate for silverware.
The Reds aim to retain their title and deliver Arne Slot his first trophy in English football, while Newcastle seek to end a 56-year wait for major honors.
The defending champions secured last season’s triumph by defeating Chelsea in extra time in what was Jurgen Klopp’s final trophy before stepping down.
Now under Slot’s leadership, Liverpool are not only closing in on a dominant Premier League title win but are also looking to add another piece of silverware to their collection.
“You play games like this to win it, and that’s what we’re going to try to do,” Slot said ahead of the final.
“And we’re really looking forward to it, to playing a final again, because you cannot take a final for granted, especially not in this country with so many good teams involved in every cup competition.”
“So we’re looking forward to being part of it, and if you are part of it, of course, you want and try to win it. But that’s probably what Newcastle wants as well.”
Can Slot Win His First Trophy at Liverpool?
Slot arrived at Anfield last summer after a successful spell at Feyenoord, where he won the Eredivisie in 2023 and the Dutch Cup in 2024.
His Liverpool side have been dominant in the Premier League, sitting 15 points clear of Arsenal with nine games to go.
However, Sunday’s final presents their last remaining opportunity for a cup triumph this season following their dramatic Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties.
“If we win or lose the final, there will be disappointment that we lost against Paris Saint-Germain, we are out of that tournament,” Slot admitted.
His side had been favorites to win the competition before their elimination.
Liverpool will be without key right-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Bradley, and Joe Gomez, forcing Jarell Quansah—who was recently named in Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad—into an unfamiliar right-back role.
Meanwhile, there is hope that Ibrahima Konaté will be fit in time.
“Trent is indeed not available. He will not be there at the final, but he’s still to be assessed for how long it’s going to take. We do expect him back before the end of the season,” Slot said.
“With Ibou, we expected only it to be that he was tired or he had some cramps [against PSG], so we are hoping and are expecting that he will be ready to play Sunday again.”
Newcastle’s Shot at Ending 56-Year Trophy Drought
For Newcastle, this final represents a golden opportunity to bring home their first major trophy since lifting the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.
Their last domestic triumph came in the 1955 FA Cup—five years before the League Cup was even established.
Newcastle’s resurgence under Eddie Howe and their Saudi-backed ownership has seen them come close to breaking the drought before, notably reaching the 2023 League Cup final only to lose to Manchester United.
Now, they have another shot at glory.
“That’s been a big part of what we’ve done since we’ve been here. Big-game experience should help us when we need it ,” Howe said, explained how Newcastle have become accustomed to big games.
“We’ve stayed competitive, in the main, in big games. Our style, we have adaptability, but also we have a clear method.”
“A clear representation of us in and out of possession will be really important for us.
“We want to break that wait for a trophy. It’s not a negative. We’re trying to look at it the other way around—it’s the chance to make history and be remembered positively.”
Newcastle will be without key players Sven Botman and Lewis Hall due to injury, while star forward Anthony Gordon is suspended after his red card against Brighton in the FA Cup.
A Decade of Dominance to Be Broken?
The League Cup has been dominated by English football’s powerhouses for the past decade—Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United have shared the last 10 titles.
Should Newcastle pull off a victory, they would become the first club outside that trio to lift the trophy in over 10 years.
With Liverpool looking to secure their first trophy under Slot and Newcastle desperate to break their long-standing drought, Sunday’s clash at Wembley promises to be an unforgettable battle.
