Liverpool 1 Newcastle 2 – The Match Report | OneFootball

“That’s that Dad. They’re never gonna sign Brighton’s Dan Burn.”

Lads and lasses it’s happened.

This is not a drill. It’s not a near miss, a plucky surrender or an abject failure to deliver. This is it, the one everyone reading this has craved, dreamt about and thought would never happen.

I am writing this in a London hotel before heading back home later today. Elsewhere in the city the Newcastle squad will be planning to do the same, and they’re packing a trophy to bring with them.

The matches earlier in the week, when we triumphed at West Ham while our opponent endured a dispiriting, exhausting defeat to PSG on penalties, flipped the narrative a bit.

A fanbase that had seemed on an incredible low after Brighton and the subsequent news of missing key players, seemed to have regained its belief. When I made my way down in the car with the lads on Saturday morning, on several occasions we talked openly about the scenario if we were to win the cup. Belief yes, but the right side of the expectation we maybe allowed to creep in two years ago.

You know how things went down here. The Covent Garden party was a sight to behold, and we were part of the extensive crowd of Mags spilling over into the Leicester Square bars afterwards, before heading to a the Sports Bar and Grill on Old Street which had been earmarked as a venue by NUST. A great night but not stupid, crawl in at 4am covered in kebab drunk, with half an eye on Wembley at all times.

The lessons of last time had been well and truly absorbed. No soppy letters to the players. No hungover funk settling over the away end. No happy to be part of the occasion, this was all business and without the trophy it would be a wasted trip.

I played my part fully in that, waking up fresh enough to seek out the local Wetherspoons and set the process in motion for the build up to the game. A few around the Geordie packed Kings Cross was the brilliant experience any big away trip always is, bumping into old school friends, former workmates and familiar faces from being on the road with NUFC. Then it was a case of navigating the awful trip of the Metropolitan line ride to Wembley.

We nipped into the Boxpark on the way up which was excellent and on my list for next time, bumping into Warren Barton and our old mate T-Bone, who had been similarly observing the rules of get yourself good and watered for a raucous old time at the match. Then it was time. Into Wembley, claim our lovely free scarves and out come the teams. This is it lads.

The unchanged line up from West Ham was entirely expected, and that run out seemed to have paid off, as it quickly became apparent the players had also got the memo: you’re here to win.

The battle was always going to be in midfield and it looked extremely promising. From the off the trio of Joelinton, Bruno and Tonali had a game plan, with Big Joe doing a stellar job in drifting left to safeguard the excellent Livramento. The Italian was the epitome of solid, seemingly there every time Liverpool tried to go direct through the middle. When Barnes had a run at the defence and played in Isak, it was Tonali who arrived in support to register United’s first real effort, firing narrowly wide of the post.

Kieran Trippier needs special mention here, for putting in a leader’s performance at the back that set the tone for that first half. His blocked shot led to a corner that Burn met at the back post. Bruno flicked his header on towards goal but Kelleher gathered comfortably.

I had an eye on the Wembley clock as there was a small target in sight. I was at the cup finals of 98 and 99, then again in 2023 and on each occasion we were behind and en route to being beaten by half time. Just getting there level would have represented a success, as surely Liverpool’s exertions against Paris would work in our favour as the second half wore on?

Then it happened, 25 years without a goal at Wembley, 49 years without scoring in a final, 70 years since taking a lead at the national stadium. You know all the other horrible stats. No trophy since 1969, 30 clubs in the English league with their name on something since we last bothered the engraver. All the associated nonsense we’ve had to endure from mackems, bitters and plastics in the interim period. All of this frustration seemed to be collated, embodied and unleashed in Dan Burn’s power header that resonated around the ground like a primal scream.

The goal was a thing of utter beauty. Newcastle just don’t score this kind of goal, unless this was a long game to save it up for when we really, really needed it. Trippier’s corner was drifted again to the back post and Burn lost his marker to rise and head it back across goal and perfectly into the opposite corner. The only locally born player in either side making the difference and that was all just too much.

I had tears in my eyes at half time it was so overwhelming. I bet our car down wasn’t the only place where there were conversations about who we’d most like to score and I bet it wasn’t the only place where Burn’s name came up. The local boy done good, who forced his way back to the top after being released, playing in the national league and generally bouncing around the lower leagues for most of the early part of his career. The epitome of the post-takeover renaissance, a signing who played a huge role in us clawing our way from the relegation zone to the Champions League. Our Dan Burn, now he’s after winning us cups at Wembley.

The pint I had at half time was the absolute definition of the word settler. Nerves were kicking in, and not just because Liverpool had their best opportunity in the few moments of play after our goal. This was the best team in the country and they had taken the Newcastle role, not showing up on final day. Backlash was feared.

If my pint was a settler off the pitch, Alexander Isak was very much the settler on the field. First, another Tripper corner was hooked back across goal by Joelinton and met by Burn. Kelleher saved but Isak followed up with the finish, only to see the offside flag raised. The replays showed that he was well on but Bruno was in an offside position in front of the keeper. I reckon it should have been given but it soon mattered not.

Less than two minutes later Barnes again went marauding down the left and linked up with Livramento, who advanced and sent over a magnificent floated cross. Murphy rose at the back post and beat Robertson to the header, utilising that telepathic understanding to tee it up for Isak, who lashed an outstanding half volley in first time. This was absolute bedlam. The Burn goal was tinged with disbelief, this one brought belief.

The Liverpool backlash threatened but never truly arrived. Their best effort was a thunderous drive from Jones that Nick Pope did brilliantly to react to. Pope in goal was the only choice for me, as there were a few occasions of him coming out and clearing up long balls, including a few of his trademark headers. Dubravka, much as I love him, would have stood off and allowed goal scoring opportunities to happen. These interventions by Pope don’t make it into highlights packages or memes, so a lot of your modern fans don’t appreciate what he gives but, like everyone else in black and white, he covered himself in glory on this big occasion.

Kelleher took his turn next to perform heroics in goal, after Barnes knocked down Bruno’s cross for Isak to unleash another snapshot. Moments kept coming, with Barnes just failing to find Schar unmarked a couple of yards out and Murphy firing narrowly wide having snuffed out Liverpool’s attempted counter.

The injury time board arrived and promised a challenging 8 minutes. Still, a two goal lead was surely comfortable? We managed to get through 3 of those minutes before Bruno was caught in possession by Elliott, who played a fine ball through for Chiesa to finish past Pope. The offside flag gave respite but the VAR correctly overturned that and we were in for a hairy last 5.

Wilson and Tonali were both cool personified as those final moments were negotiated mainly in the corners by Liverpool’s goal. With 100 minutes on the clock the moment final arrived, as the referees whistle confirmed that 2025 was the year that Newcastle United finally won that elusive trophy.

I don’t know how long the next bit lasted but it was one of the great moments in life. Tears everywhere as I hugged my mates Martin, Hutch and Simon (and a few strangers). The entire bench ripped off around the pitch and the west end of Wembley was a vista of black and white scarves as the opposite side emptied quickly.

The emotion went up a notch as the big screen showed pictures of the engraver finally etching our name on a cup, and moments later that cup was in the hands of Bruno and Trippier. When it came down the stairs there were very few leaving as the squad took turns to show off their new prize, with my favourite moment being the great Edward John Frank Howe, trophy winning manager of Newcastle United, allowing himself a rare moment of effervescence as he ran and shook the trophy in front of the packed stand.

This was magnificent for so many reasons. There are players on that pitch who have delivered some hard yards and dirty work dragging Newcastle from a status of Mike Ashley husk club to what they are today – winners. To see the likes of Wilson, Schar and Trippier with medals around their neck was incredibly rewarding, whenever their time here runs out, they will always have something to show for it.

Then there’s the forward looking perspective. It’s a painfully long sixteen days until we next play, but this victory will loom large over the visit of Brentford. The status as cup winners will give a lift that I predict will see highly positive returns from our favourable remaining fixtures, with that Champions League place very much on.

The summer looks very exciting. Retaining Isak, Bruno and the like becomes easy when the promise of more silverware like the one sitting in front of them is floated. The fact we now have a confirmed European place settles that worry and the challenge of improving on Conference League status can only be a booster. Likewise any potential signings can be hooked on a winning feeling. Footage of that post match celebration could be a deal breaker.

So much validation on this day for the likes of Tonali, whose status at Newcastle is constantly under question by the Italian press, or Bruno, who could have signed for Arsenal where he would have had one less major trophy these last 3 years, a stat Isak should definitely take note of.

Isak has ensured his place in the clubs history as the face of the new era. Many played their part in this cup run but when we have knocked out the most feared opponents it has been his key interventions that have seen off Chelsea, Arsenal and now Liverpool. It is fitting that Dan Burn, the stalwart local hero scored goal number one, whereas Isak contributed the second, epitomising the NUFC journey to being a winning club with world class players.

The final word though, goes to the big man. I can only imagine what was going through Dave Burn’s head yesterday. The future of Newcastle United may be that of international superstars but on this day we won the League Cup with a goal and man of the match performance from one of our own. England’s Dan Burn is all of us, and his name now has a special place in the club’s history.

That’s that Dan.

Liverpool 1 Newcastle 2 – Sunday 16 March 4.30pm

(Stats via BBC Sport)

Goals:

Burn 45, Isak 52

Liverpool:

Chiesa 90+4

Possession was Newcastle 34% Liverpool 66%

Total shots were Newcastle 17 Liverpool 7

Shots on target were Newcastle 6 Liverpool 2

Corners were Newcastle 9 Liverpool 4

Touches in the box Newcastle 26 Liverpool 17

Newcastle team v Liverpool:

Pope, Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento, Joelinton, Tonali, Bruno, Barnes (Willock 81), Isak (Wilson 81), Murphy (Krafth 90)

Unused subs:

Dubravka, Longstaff, Targett, Osula, Miley, Neave

(Liverpool 1 Newcastle 2 – Match ratings and comments on all the Newcastle United players – Read HERE)