Newcastle end 56-year dry spell with Carabao Cup win over Liverpool

After more than half a century of heartbreak and near misses, Newcastle United finally lifted a major trophy, stunning Premier League leaders Liverpool 2-1 in a dramatic League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.

Dan Burn and Alexander Isak delivered the goals that ended Newcastle’s 56-year trophy drought, etching their names into club folklore with a performance brimming with resilience and belief.

Federico Chiesa’s late strike for Liverpool set up a nerve-wracking finale, but Eddie Howe’s side held firm to claim their first major domestic silverware since the 1955 FA Cup.

Moment to savor

For a club steeped in history yet starved of success, the celebrations were nothing short of euphoric. One half of Wembley transformed into a black-and-white wave of unbridled joy, as Newcastle fans erupted in scenes of sheer ecstasy.

The triumph also erased the painful memories of last year’s League Cup final defeat to Manchester United, proving that Howe’s side had the mettle to rise to the occasion.

Since their last piece of silverware – the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, a relic of a bygone era – 30 different English clubs had tasted success, while Liverpool alone had amassed 38 major trophies.

Newcastle, in contrast, endured five relegations, saw generations of club legends – Alan Shearer, Paul Gascoigne, Malcolm MacDonald – fall short of lifting silverware, and spent decades as a symbol of unfulfilled promise.

From struggle to silverware

The club’s transformation began in 2021 when a Saudi-backed consortium ended the tumultuous reign of Mike Ashley.

The new ownership wasted no time in reshaping the club’s fortunes, with Howe at the helm guiding Newcastle from relegation candidates to cup winners in just over two years.

Against a Liverpool side that arrived brimming with confidence, 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League, Newcastle showed no fear.

Before kickoff, their fans unfurled a banner urging the team to “write your name in the history books.” The players responded with a spirited, relentless display that overwhelmed their opponents.

Liverpool, still reeling from their Champions League last-16 exit on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain, looked uncharacteristically sluggish. Their midfield struggled against Newcastle’s intensity, their attacks lacked cohesion, and their talisman Mohamed Salah was anonymous.

Burn’s breakthrough

Newcastle’s intent was clear from the opening whistle. Bruno Guimaraes nearly put them ahead early, nodding a close-range header straight at Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.

Moments later, Joelinton set the tone with a crunching tackle on Jarell Quansah, celebrating his defensive intervention with a fist-pumping roar.

The breakthrough arrived in the 45th minute, and it was one Liverpool should have seen coming.

Having already been troubled by Burn’s aerial dominance, they left the towering defender inexplicably unmarked.

Kieran Trippier’s pinpoint corner found Burn rising above the diminutive Alexis Mac Allister, and the 6-foot-7 defender thumped a powerful header into the far corner, sending the Newcastle fans into delirium.

It was a momentous goal in more ways than one – Newcastle’s first in a cup final since 1976 – and capped a remarkable week for Burn, who had earned his first England call-up just days earlier.

Newcastle doubled their lead seven minutes into the second half, and it was Isak who delivered the hammer blow. Tino Livramento’s cross was met by Jacob Murphy, whose header fell perfectly for Isak.

With a single touch, the Swedish striker rifled a clinical finish past Kelleher from 10 yards, sealing his 27th goal of the season.

Nervy finish

Chiesa’s stoppage-time strike momentarily silenced the Newcastle faithful, setting up a tense finale.

But as the final whistle blew, the weight of history lifted off the club’s shoulders.

Decades of disappointment gave way to unfiltered jubilation.

For Liverpool, it was another bitter blow in a week to forget.

Though still on course for a record-equalling 20th English title, they failed to secure their first trophy under new boss Arne Slot.

For Newcastle, however, this was more than just a cup win – it was the dawn of a new era.

DailySabah