Image showing Diogo Jota social media.
Image Credits: Instagram/diogoj_18
Liverpool’s reign as Carabao Cup champions came to a disappointing end at Wembley Stadium on Sunday as Newcastle United secured a 2-1 victory to claim their first domestic trophy in 70 years.
Goals from Dan Burn and Alexander Isak propelled Eddie Howe’s side to a historic triumph, with Federico Chiesa’s stoppage-time consolation proving too little, too late for a lackluster Liverpool side.
The atmosphere at Wembley was electric before kickoff, with the stadium divided between Liverpool’s red and Newcastle’s black-and-white stripes as both sets of supporters traded songs in anticipation of the showpiece final.
However, it was Newcastle who seized the initiative from the outset, adopting a physical approach with attacks frequently channeled down the wings.
Despite Liverpool dominating possession for stretches of the match, they created precious little in the final third, managing just one weak attempt in the entire first half.
Arne Slot made two changes to the team that had faced Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the week, with Jarell Quansah replacing the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, while Caoimhin Kelleher retained his place as cup goalkeeper ahead of Alisson.
Plenty of Arne Slot’s men came under criticism for not showing up at Wembley, especially attackers like Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, and Luis Diaz.
The only shaft of light in what was otherwise a disappointing evening is that Federico Chiesa showcased that he is deserving of more minutes in this Liverpool team.
The Italian was a breath of fresh air when he came on for a 20-minute cameo, looking capable of doing more than all the other forwards’ attempts.
Federico Chiesa was a major positive from a day of disappointment. He won 4 duels from 4, which is interesting as Arne Slot mentioned our loss of duels at full-time. He was bright, lively and showed that he really wanted to make an impact. He won 3 free kicks in just over 15… pic.twitter.com/lvJicwqqwe
— DaveOCKOP (@DaveOCKOP) March 16, 2025
But one man who came under criticism for a lukewarm display is Diogo Jota, who in truth has been struggling since the turn of the year.
Taking to Instagram after the game, the Portugal international acknowledged the difficult period, writing:
“Not good enough today! A very disappointing week for everyone that supports Liverpool FC.”
“We will be back soon to fight for the league,” he wrote.
As Newcastle’s players and supporters celebrated their historic achievement, Liverpool were left to contemplate a missed opportunity and the sobering reality that trophies are won through performances, not reputations.
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