Arne Slot explains tactical decision that helped Dan Burn head in the opening goal as Liverpool lose the Carabao Cup final to Newcastle
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(Image: 2025 James Gill - Danehouse)
Arne Slot has explained the tactical decision that allowed Dan Burn to head home the opening goal as Liverpool were beaten 2-1 by Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
Powerful Magpies defender Burn steered home in first-half stoppage time after escaping the attention of the diminutive Alexis Mac Allister, who was tasked with marking the 6ft 7ins defender from Kieran Trippier's corner.
Slot said the decision for Mac Allister to pick up the much taller Newcastle centre-half was down to the fact that his team defend corners zonally as he offered an explanation for how the holders conceded the vital opening goal just before the half-time interval.
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“Credit to Newcastle," Slot said. "I can explain. We play zonal so have five players zonally close to our goal, so if the ball falls there it’s always one of the five stronger players that attacks the ball. We have three players who then man-mark and Macca is one of them.
“Normally a player like Dan Burn runs into the zone. I’ve never seen in my life a player from that far away heading the ball with so much force into the far corner.
“They either have to go far from our goal, which 99 of 100 times will never lead to a goal or they have to arrive in our zone and then it’s an equal battle. Credit to him, he’s one of the few players who can score with his head from that distance."
Slot added: “It was a disappointing result and a disappointing performance. It is completely different to how I felt after the PSG game [on Tuesday]. Losing twice in a row is something we have done for the first time, but that also comes with going into the latter stages of tournaments. PSG and Newcastle are two very good teams in their own styles. Very difficult teams to face.
“It was a tough week but it was also a week where we extended our lead to 12 points from it being 10. It wasn’t all negative but the last two [results] were definitely not the way we wanted."
Liverpool, whose Premier League lead was also cut down to 12 by Arsenal's 1-0 win at home to Chelsea on Sunday, return to action when they host Everton in the Merseyside derby on April 2.