Newcastle United ended their 56-year wait for a major trophy with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the League Cup final on Sunday.
Eddie Howe’s side delivered a historic performance at Wembley, leaving the Premier League leaders stunned.
Dan Burn broke the deadlock late in the first half, and Alexander Isak doubled the lead after the interval with his 27th goal of the season.
Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa pulled one back in stoppage time, but Newcastle held firm to secure their first major title since the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Their last domestic triumph had come even earlier, with the FA Cup victory in 1955.
In the years since their last silverware, 30 different English clubs had lifted trophies, while Liverpool alone had claimed 38 major honours.
Newcastle had also suffered five relegations, with club legends like Alan Shearer and Paul Gascoigne failing to deliver silverware during their tenures.
The Magpies’ fortunes changed in 2021 when a Saudi-backed consortium took over the club, replacing the unpopular Mike Ashley. With financial backing and Howe’s tactical expertise, Newcastle transformed from relegation battlers to cup winners.
For Liverpool, the defeat compounded their recent disappointment after being knocked out of the Champions League last 16 by Paris Saint-Germain.
However, despite the setback, Arne Slot’s men still hold a commanding 12-point lead at the top of the Premier League, keeping them on course for a record-equalling 20th league title.
Newcastle Make History with League Cup Win
Liverpool had dominated this fixture for nearly a decade, going 17 games unbeaten against Newcastle since 2015. Yet, on Sunday, Howe’s players rose to the occasion.
Before kick-off, Newcastle fans unveiled a banner urging their team to “write your name in the history books”—a challenge they accepted with tenacity and flair. The Magpies pressed aggressively, counter-attacked with intent, and exposed Liverpool’s sluggishness.
Bruno Guimarães nearly opened the scoring when he met a Kieran Trippier corner, only to head straight at goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
Newcastle’s relentless energy was epitomized by Joelinton, who tracked back to dispose of Jarell Quansah and roared in celebration.
Despite an earlier warning from Burn’s aerial threat, Liverpool failed to learn their lesson. In the 45th minute, Burn, left unmarked apart from the much shorter Alexis Mac Allister, powered a header into the net from Trippier’s corner—marking Newcastle’s first goal in a cup final since 1976.
The goal capped a remarkable week for Burn, who had earned his first England call-up just days earlier.
Seven minutes into the second half, Newcastle doubled their advantage. Jacob Murphy nodded down Tino Livramento’s cross, setting up Isak to drill a first-time strike past Kelleher from close range.
Chiesa’s late goal set up a tense finale, but Newcastle held on, igniting jubilant celebrations from their players and supporters. The long wait for silverware was finally over, and Wembley turned into a sea of black and white as Newcastle basked in their historic triumph.
