This Newcastle United team have a chance to become immortal on Sunday.
London is calling, as Eddie Howe and his players travel to the capital for a second Carabao Cup final in three seasons.
It is Newcastle United vs Liverpool at Wembley, with the first major trophy of the season up for grabs.
For Arne Slot, it is a chance to win his first trophy as Liverpool manager – in a season where the Premier League title appears to be heading to Anfield. That sums up the size of Newcastle’s task.
For Eddie Howe, it is a chance to end Newcastle’s trophy drought. The club has not lifted silverware since 1969 when they won the Fairs Cup. Newcastle’s last domestic trophy was in 1955.
Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United ‘obsession’
That sums up why this final is so important for Newcastle United.
Every player and member of staff has the chance to be part of something special, as Howe prepares to lead his team into battle.
That is not lost on Howe in 2025, nor was it lost on him in 2023 when Newcastle were sadly beaten by Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final.
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Back in January 2023 when the Magpies were still only in the quarter-finals of the League Cup, the i Paper reported that a Newcastle United source had said that being the man to end the club’s trophy drought had become an ‘obsession’ for Howe.
That obsession will only have grown larger given what happened in 2023. The Magpies got to the final before falling short, but will have learned lessons from their Wembley heartache.
It has been claimed that Newcastle will prepare differently for this final, as a relentless manager attempts to achieve his dream and become part of history.
We all know how good Eddie Howe is tactically. His talents as a manager know no bounds. We have seen his team execute gameplans to perfection and dispose of members of the ‘big six’.
Now he needs to do it again, whilst being driven by an obsession to bring a trophy back to St James’ Park.
Eddie Howe do something he has never done at Newcastle United
To end this obsession, Eddie Howe will have to do something he has never done since becoming Newcastle United manager.
He has had excellent results against every member of the ‘big six’ – except for Liverpool.
The Reds are one team that Howe has not been able to conquer on Tyneside. In fact, Howe’s record against Liverpool is really poor.
Since replacing Steve Bruce at Newcastle, Howe has played against Liverpool eight games. He has lost seven and drawn once, with that single draw coming earlier this season at St James’ Park. Newcastle drew 3-3 with Liverpool in an absolute thriller, and a game that Howe will feel his side should have won.
His overall record against Liverpool is not much better when you factor in his time with Bournemouth.
Throughout his entire managerial career, Howe has faced Liverpool 21 times. He has lost 18, drawn two and won one.