If you’re going to have a blip in a season, then being 12 points ahead in your respective league and timing it right for two cup games isn’t a bad way to go about it. Yeah, so Liverpool lost to PSG on penalties and were edged out in the Carabao Cup final to Newcastle United, but if that’s considered a “bad patch”, especially after their season so far, who cares, really?
The fact is, the Reds went to France and pulled something out of the bag and then lost to the better side in the return – and on penalties, so they stayed in it until the end. Winning the Carabao Cup probably would have been realistic if they hadn’t just played 120 minutes a few days earlier, though, you can’t dismiss the challenge the Magpies presented I think.
It was their cup final, in more ways than one; a lot of sub-plots, highlighted by the scorer of the first goal, Dan Burn to round off a remarkable journey for him, 70 years since a trophy and 90 minutes in which anything could happen – they were really up for it – probably more than the Reds I’d say.
Lacklustre Liverpool
Newcastle basically dominated from the first whistle – it was obvious that the Reds were leggy from midweek and just seemed happy to soak up the pressure, wait for an opportunity and spring a surprise on the counter-attack. But Newcastle appeared quite wise to that and probably knew they had the fresher legs to stop any Liverpool break, which happened a couple of times.
70 years of hurt are OVER! @NUFC are #CarabaoCup winners! 🏆⚫️⚪️#EFL | #CarabaoCupFinal pic.twitter.com/n5gNOFIMhe
— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup) March 16, 2025
Under normal circumstances, fresh legs not withstanding, you’re probably talking about the two best midfield trios in the Premier League, but Newcastle just seemed to swarm the Reds – Dominik Szoboszlai was increasingly pushed back into a deeper role than usual; Joelinton for me was unplayable, just everywhere.
Mohamed Salah looked completely off it, though you can’t be surprised. He’s the other side of 30 now – already the Egyptian has had a hell of a season and it looked to me like he’d run out of gas by half time. You really have to think twice about taking him off as well – that left foot of his can change the complexion of a game in a flash.
In general, Liverpool did look pretty toothless in attack and the last team you wanna be playing against defending a lead is Newcastle with the way Eddie Howe has them set up.
I know at this stage it is just rumours, but if there is anyone in world football right now who could come in and replace Salah in terms of impact then he was in black and white on Sunday. Alexander Isak showed just why the Reds are reportedly looking at him and probably justifies his rumoured £150 million price tag with the way he scored Newcastle’s second.
For endeavour at least, I think the Reds did deserve a goal, though had it come 10 minutes earlier, then we could have been looking at another penalty shootout because substitute Federico Chiesa’s strike seemed to be a shot in the arm, though it was too little, too late.
It would have been cruel as well had Newcastle lost in that way and again, just like in the PSG tie, the best team won for me. I don’t think you could argue though, that the best team (probably inevitably), will win the Premier League.
