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Arsenal legend Paul Merson believes Liverpool will be mentally destroyed ahead of the Carabao Cup final.
Newcastle United supporters watched tentatively from their settees as the Reds crashed out of the Champions League to Paris Saint-Germain. Just 24 hours earlier, the Magpies edged out West Ham United to give themselves a lift before Sunday’s monumental clash.
Newcastle are looking for any signs of positivity as they aim to end a 70-year wait without domestic silverware. Liverpool provide a daunting challenge, with the Premier League title all but sewn up in March.
Arne Slot’s men were also one of the front-runners to win the Champions League before last night’s shock at Anfield. PSG, to their credit, were unlucky to head into the second leg with a 1-0 scoreline to overturn.
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Liverpool relied on Alisson heavily between the sticks at the Parc des Princes but, with the Anfield crowd behind them, few expected PSG - unbeaten in Ligue 1 this season - to go through. However, the Parisians were good value for their 1-0 triumph in regulation time, looking like a slick-oiled machine that had long discarded the Harlem Globetrotter philosophy of yesteryear.
Ousmane Dembele caused problems - Alexander Isak take note - and scored the winning goal to take the game into extra time. Another 30 minutes in the Liverpool legs was cheered from Tyneside as PSG pushed them all the way.
The visitors won both penalty shoot-out tosses before ruthlessly dispatching Liverpool in front of their travelling supporters. As the large figure of Gianluigi Donnarumma celebrated, the Reds looked despondent, with Mohamed Salah breaking down in tears.
Trent Alexander-Arnold's injury midway through the second half compounded their misery and gave Newcastle further seeds of encouragement. Slot’s side remain overwhelming favourites but must overcome their toughest moment since his appointment last summer.
Arsenal legend highlights Newcastle United optimism
An unlikely ally has laid down the weakness for Newcastle to expose at Wembley this weekend. Merson has highlighted how distraught Liverpool will be after watching their Champions League hopes go up in smoke.
You (Slot) have got to pick them up for the League Cup final," he told Sky Sports. "I know it's a nice one to get picked up for, but they'll be disappointed, you know, playing here tonight, going out the Champions League, and you looked at the draw and, if they could have won, they would have probably played Aston Villa where they'd have fancied themselves, even though I thought it'd have been a hard game.
"Now they've got to pick themselves up. I would think mentally, losing the game… If they'd have won the game and won on penalties, they'd have that energy. It would have come. You get the air in the lungs.
"Now they'd be a bit distraught. They'll be disappointed. They've got to pick themselves up for a cup final against a team that haven't won a trophy since I was born, so it's a massive football match. Big advantage to Newcastle tonight."
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