I still can’t quite believe what I witnessed on Sunday. Newcastle United comprehensively dispatched Liverpool 2-1 to lift a domestic trophy for the first time in 70 years.
56 years since the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup win, Bruno, Trippier and Lascelles lifted a pot above their heads to signify the end of the laughter, being the \*\*\*\* of jokes, the hurt and it was a pleasure and privilege to be at Wembley with my Dad and my brother.
Here are our five key takeaways from the game and an emotional day in the capital.
No Lewis Hall, no problem. Tino Livramento pocketed Mo Salah on the day, and used the space provided by the Egyptians lack of tracking back to be a huge attacking threat, providing the key cross for the second goal.
Quansah couldn’t handle the England international, his pace, direct running, defending and final ball were all on point as the young man really came of age in what was a towering performance.
Salah, who failed to create a chance or get a shot at goal the whole match, looked devoid of any ideas or confidence on Sunday, yet has been at the top of his game most of the season, that’s how towering Tino’s performance was. First class and a big, big plus for the lad’s development.
1. **Toon dominance all over the pitch**
Make no bones about it, Newcastle could, and perhaps should, have scored more than two goals on the day and Liverpool’s goal was wholly undeserved, such was the dominance of United at Wembley.
Our midfield three were imperious and dominated the much-hyped Gravenberch, Mac Allister and Szoboszlai so much that two of them were hooked with 15 minutes still to play.
Kieran Trippier read every long ball Liverpool tried to play as he swept up ahead of Jota and Diaz. He played a huge role it setting the tone and settling us down.
Dan Burn won every header and contested duels like he would die if he lost one and Fabian Schar was far better, summing up our dominance beating Van Dijk to a header in the final minutes to protect our 2-1 lead. And despite what Eddie Howe said post-match, the set pieces were excellent and caused all sorts of panic as Liverpool were dispatched.
Eddie Howe can now add Arne Slot to the list of managers he has schooled tactically this season as the Dutchman was reduced to the Steve Bruce tactic of just throwing on forwards in the hope of changing the game with no real thought to how they would work in a formation.
The late decision to hold Sean Longstaff back from coming on as a sub and putting Krafth on instead and shifting to a back five, the set pieces, the midfield box shifting between who was deepest – everything worked and, surely, Howe must now be considered one of the best English managers (if not the best) of his generation.
Hopefully, he has also earned a couple of quite weeks from the doubters too.
This could be considered a little self-indulgent since I was lucky to be there, but the fans were magnificent all game. From drowning out ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ to the Wor Flags display to the manic celebrations of the goals, everyone was on their a-game.
There was also a bit of bite as there was a feeling in the air that ‘we couldn’t let a team and its fans who really don’t care about this competition’ win it as the Liverpool fans were cowed into silence for pretty much the whole match.
Throw in a Sam Fender impromptu sing along after the game and you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in Geordie heaven post-game. Breathtaking stuff, and tear-jerking for thousands there too.
And so there you have it – it’s been one day since Newcastle United have won a major trophy. Many thought during the Ashley drudge years that this would never happen, as Bruno said, some have passed on and not seen a trophy win for generations, well this is for them.
The national media narrative will all be about just how poor Liverpool were, but that is absolute nonsense, United were incredible on and deserved to win the cup on Sunday.
But Sunday was everything, and it was all about Newcastle United, 2025 League Cup Winners.
Wow, Howay the Lads.