Matt Ritchie hopes that Newcastle United are ‘better equipped’ for the Carabao Cup final than they were in 2023.
The Magpies head to Wembley this weekend, as they face Liverpool in the 2025 Carabao Cup final.
It is a second cup final in three seasons for Newcastle United. It is a second chance for Eddie Howe to end Newcastle’s trophy drought.
While Newcastle are playing against a better team on this occasion, there is a different feel to this final. The 2023 trip to Wembley was like a big day out. For many, just getting to the final was special.
On the pitch, Newcastle did not rise to the occasion. In truth, they never really got going against Man United.
Photo by Stu Forster - NUFC/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Photo by Stu Forster – NUFC/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Matt Ritchie reflects on Newcastle United’s 2023 Carabao Cup final
In the eyes of former Newcastle United midfielder Matt Ritchie, the occasion ‘stumped’ the club. The hype surrounding getting to the final overshadowed the game itself, as the Magpies slumped to a 2-0 defeat.
During an interview with the Athletic, Ritchie has reflected on the 2023 final and what went wrong.
“It was like a birthday balloon that has been up for two weeks,” he said.
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“On reflection, the occasion probably stumped us. The excitement, the tickets, the whole infrastructure of the club being pushed to its maximum. The balloon lost a bit of air.
“We gave it a shot but we didn’t hit the sweet spot as a club, as a team.
“So there was a sadness, really. But it was an unbelievable experience and my feeling was that, next time, we’ll be better equipped.”
Newcastle United prepare differently but similar problems arise
Following the 2023 Carabao Cup final, there was an acceptance that Newcastle United got things wrong.
Those mistakes will be used as a learning curve, and the hope will be that the Magpies tackle Sunday’s game against Liverpool in a different manner.
While supporters are excited about travelling down to London, the focus is on the game rather than the occasion.
Newcastle are preparing differently for the final compared to two years ago, but there is one major similarity – and that is not a good thing.
In 2023, Newcastle United went into the final without Nick Pope. The goalkeeper had been sent off in the last Premier League game before the final, resulting in Loris Karius making his Toon debut.
In 2025, the Magpies have a similar issue. Anthony Gordon is suspended, having been sent off during the FA Cup defeat to Brighton.
Once again, Eddie Howe is going to be without a pivotal player at Wembley.
While Newcastle might be better equipped to deal with the pressures of being in a cup final, they will not go into the game at full strength. Given how good Liverpool are this season, that is a major concern.