Liverpool’s Struggles Highlighted in Carabao Cup Final Loss to Newcastle
Liverpool’s defeat in the Carabao Cup final highlighted their struggles, as they were dominated across the pitch by Newcastle. In midfield, the usually dynamic Dominik Szoboszlai was outworked by Newcastle’s Joelinton, who was everywhere for his side. Liverpool’s Mac Allister, tasked with tracking Burn, struggled against the outstanding Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali. Ryan Gravenberch, who has featured in every Premier League game for Liverpool, seemed to be running out of steam in this match.
However, Slot disagreed with the idea that Liverpool’s loss was due to physical exhaustion. “This game had nothing to do with running,” Slot argued. “Newcastle won numerous duels, many through the air, and if we played ten matches like this, they’d likely win nine due to their aerial strength.” This physical dominance was particularly evident as Diogo Jota, leading the line for Liverpool, was nullified by the aerial presence of Burn and Fabian Schar. Darwin Nunez, who came on to replace Jota, failed to make an impact and struggled with his confidence after missing a penalty earlier in the week. Even Liverpool’s fierce competitor, Andy Robertson, was out-jumped by Jacob Murphy at the back post, allowing Alexander Isak to score Newcastle’s second goal.
Slot made a tactical switch at half-time, encouraging Liverpool to take more risks with the ball, but this only lasted for five minutes before Newcastle’s physical play resumed. Mohamed Salah, who has been exceptional this season, had a quiet game, with Tino Livramento keeping him well-contained.
Despite the disappointment of losing the final, this defeat marks the first time in eight months that Liverpool has lost back-to-back games. There remains a 12-point lead in the Premier League, and after the international break, Liverpool will aim to return to form and refocus on their title ambitions. But, in a season where much has gone their way, this final served as a reminder that Liverpool was beaten by a style of play they were not prepared for.