Jamie Carragher watched on in horror as his beloved Liverpool were beaten to the Carabao Cup by [Newcastle United](https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/all-about/newcastle-united-fc) back in March - but the pundit hasn't allowed that to cloud his judgement when it comes to heaping praise on Eddie Howe's masterplan at the home of football.
Carra's fellow pundit [Gary Neville believes the Magpies' display deserves the honour of 'coaching performance of the season'](https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/gary-neville-hits-nail-head-31683043), with the former Manchester United legend calling those famous full-time scenes in black and white end of Wembley 'everything you want to see.' Carragher went the opposite way, affording that honour to Andoni Iraola's performance as an injury-ravaged Bournemouth won 4-1 against Newcastle at St James' Park.
However, the Reds legend admits being surprised - and impressed - by Howe's analysis of the cup final in the wake of the Wembley joy. “I was thinking about Eddie Howe and that cup final," he said on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football this week.
"Something he said after the game was brilliant. He said they had been preparing for that game as soon as they got to the final. They played Liverpool a few weeks before, and they almost did the opposite of everything they were going to do in the game.
"Isak never played. There was probably nothing wrong with him, just leave him out.
“I thought ‘wow’. A manager thinking he’s still got important league games, but from Monday to Friday we will work on the Liverpool game. The set piece they scored in the game from Dan Burn, they had been working on for weeks. I thought it was really interesting the way Eddie Howe went about it.”
Howe indeed launched himself into meticulous preparation for United's second cup final in the space of two years. Subtle changes were made to Newcastle's pre-final build up, before the north east outfit unleashed a performance worthy of champions to down England's best side so far this season.
Speculation around the decision to leave Alexander Isak out of the rehearsal clash at Anfield weeks before Wembley is nothing new but Howe insists the player was carrying a knock going into the league meeting on Merseyside.
The club's heroics mean they are guaranteed a European campaign next season but the hope is that Newcastle can record one more win - this weekend against Liverpool's city rivals Everton - to guarantee a spot in the Champions League next term.