The countdown is on, with not long now until Newcastle United and Liverpool lock horns at Wembley Stadium on March 16th in a battle for the first piece of silverware in English football this season. The Carabao Cup final promises to be an epic occasion - Liverpool, eager to defend the title they lifted under Jurgen Klopp in his farewell campaign, and Newcastle, desperate to break a trophy drought stretching all the way back to 1955.
Arne Slot’s side march toward the home of football in red-hot form, with the Premier League title seemingly in the bag and dreams of a treble still alive after their audacious 1-0 smash-and-grab win at PSG in the Champions League Round of 16. For Newcastle, however, the road to Wembley has been littered with obstacles. Their impressive semi-final triumph over Arsenal showed their pedigree, but recent stumbles - including league defeats to Manchester City and Liverpool, followed by an FA Cup exit at the hands of Brighton - mean that their mid-season form seems like a thing of yesterday as it quickly runs out of steam.
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Injuries and suspensions have further disrupted Eddie Howe’s plans, leaving the Magpies in need of a heroic performance to shatter the old order. That said, cup finals have a habit of tearing up the script. Form, past records, and expectations often mean little when the stakes are this high. The old adage “it’s all about what happens on the day” couldn’t be more fitting. With that in mind, we’ve taken an early look at the team news and pieced together our predicted lineups ahead of the highly anticipated showdown.
Newcastle United Predicted Lineup & Team News
Anthony Gordon and Lewis Hall are among those ruled out
Anthony Gordon
Newcastle United have barely had a moment to catch their breath in recent days, as their squad continues to topple like a game of dominoes. The latest blow came on Sunday when Anthony Gordon saw red - literally and figuratively - during their FA Cup loss to Brighton, earning himself a three-match domestic suspension that rules him out of the Wembley final. The former Everton winger has been Newcastle’s key link between midfield and attack, and his absence will be a bitter pill to swallow.
Adding insult to injury, Lewis Hall, who has racked up four Premier League assists this season, has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign. The club confirmed that his foot injury will require surgery, dealing another setback to Eddie Howe’s already depleted squad. To complete an unwanted trilogy of setbacks, centre-back Sven Botman has also been diagnosed with a knee issue that will require similar treatment.
Newcastle Injuries and Suspensions
Player
Jamaal Lascelles
Lewis Hall
Sven Botman
Jamal Lewis
Anthony Gordon
The only glimmer of hope for the Magpies comes in the return of Alexander Isak, who limped off during the FA Cup defeat to Brighton after missing the previous league fixture. However, the Swedish striker quickly put fans at ease with a simple three-word reassurance: "I am fine," as he was spotted in training in midweek. Having already notched 19 goals and five assists in the league this season, Isak remains Newcastle’s most potent threat - and Liverpool’s biggest concern.
With three key players missing for the final, Howe's task is made both simpler and more daunting. He won’t have the luxury of rotating options, but his best available XI nearly picks itself. Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes will be expected to provide the creative spark from the flanks, while Newcastle’s midfield trio of Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, and Joelinton remains as robust as ever. Meanwhile, Tino Livramento will be tasked with stepping up to fill Hall’s void. See the predicted lineup below:
Newcastle Utd predicted XI: Pope; Trippier, Shar, Burn, Livramento; Joelinton, Guimaraes, Tonali; Murphy, Isak, Barnes
Newcastle Utd predicted substitutes: Dubravka (GK), Targett (DEF), Krafth (DEF), Willock (MID), Miley (MID), Longstaff (MID), Osula (ATT), Wilson (ATT)
NUFC predicted lineup
Liverpool Predicted Lineup & Team News
Arne Slot is blessed with a selection headache
Arne Slot-2
Liverpool have been dubbed the luckiest team in England this season, with many rival fans pointing to their relatively clean bill of health as a key factor in their ongoing success. As things stand, only Joe Gomez, Tyler Morton, and Conor Bradley are doubts for the League Cup final—none of whom are considered regular starters under Arne Slot.
While Newcastle must patch up their squad and soldier on, Liverpool have the rare fortune of a nearly full-strength lineup. The biggest selection dilemma for Slot isn’t about covering injuries but rather choosing between Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, and Cody Gakpo to join Mohamed Salah in the attack - a headache any manager would gladly welcome. Gakpo recently sparked concerns after picking up a knock before Liverpool’s clash with PSG, but with Slot admitting the club will “have to make a late call” on his fitness, it seems his setback is far less worrying than initially feared.
Newcastle Injuries and Suspensions
Player
Joe Gomez
Tyler Morton
Conor Bradley
Cody Gakpo
As a result, should Gakpo be in contention for the final, he will almost definitely start. The Dutchman - who has been deployed on the left flank more regularly under his new boss - has been the Reds' second-most productive talisman after Salah, scoring 16 goals and providing his teammates with a further five assists in 38 appearances across all competitions.
Diaz, despite not often finding himself on the scoresheet in recent weeks, remains the first-choice to lead the line. And with midfield and defence being the two areas of the pitch that are the easiest to call, it just leaves a question mark over the goalkeeping situation. Caoimhin Kelleher has been the delegated 'cup goalie' this term, and it would be no shock if Slot decides to stick with Kelleher for the final to honour him in a competition he has so often been the hero in, having won it in 2022 and 2024.
Liverpool predicted XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Salah, Diaz, Gakpo
Liverpool predicted substitutes: Alisson (GK), Tsimikas (DEF), Bradley (DEF), Quansah (DEF), Endo (MID), Elliott (MID), Jones (MID), Jota (ATT), Nunez (ATT)
LFC predicted lineup
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt (correct as of 06/03/2025)