March 17, 2025 | Awake & Dreaming

Newcastle United secured their first domestic trophy for 70 years – and ended a wait for a major prize stretching back to 1969 – with a deserved Carabao Cup final win over Liverpool at Wembley.

The Toon Army were sent into ecstasy as goals either side of half-time by Dan Burn and Alexander Isak put them on course for a triumph that will lead to legendary status on Tyneside for manager Eddie Howe and his players. Burn celebrated his first England call-up by meeting Kieran Trippier’s corner with a towering header in first-half stoppage time, before Isak pounced to finish clinically from Jacob Murphy’s knockdown after 52 minutes. Liverpool, who were knocked out of the Champions League on penalties by Paris St-Germain in midweek, pulled a goal back through substitute Federico Chiesa in injury time.

Newcastle, however, survived a tense finish to clinch their first major silverware since the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969 and first domestic success since the 1955 FA Cup. The final whistle at Wembley was greeted with an outpouring of joy by Newcastle fans, as their side sealed a win that means a trophy finally goes back to Tyneside after a 56-year wait. This triumph will mean as much as any trophy ever won by the Magpies and ensures a place in Geordie history for Howe – the manager who engineered the triumph – and the team who thoroughly merited a victory that will live forever in the hearts and minds of their fans.

It will also mean a place in Europe next season.

Mikel Merino scored the only goal of the game as Arsenal beat Chelsea to move 12 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Both of these sides came into the match without their first-choice striker, with Kai Havertz ruled out for the season with a hamstring injury for Arsenal and Nicolas Jackson missing for Chelsea. Chelsea were also without their most important player in Cole Palmer, who was out of the squad with an injury, and it was the first time the Blues have to had to play without him since they lost 5-0 to Arsenal in April last season. Arsenal, again naming Merino as a makeshift striker, dominated the game early on and Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice all went close.

Merino’s winner came in the 20th minute when he flicked on a curling corner from Martin Odegaard past a stretching Robert Sanchez. Chelsea’s best opportunity to take something from the game came when Marc Cucurella’s powerful effort slipped through David Raya’s hands but the ball rolled just past the post. Robert Sanchez, recently restored as Chelsea’s first-choice keeper, had some shaky moments as the Blues were put under pressure with a number of crosses into the area and he was jeered by the home crowd when he had the ball at his feet. Sanchez produced an excellent save to deny Merino in the second half, but Chelsea could not find the goal to get something from the game.

Liverpool are not playing in the league this weekend as they are involved in the Carabao Cup final. Arsenal are really well organised under Arteta but they did not do enough with the ball when they were in good positions. That has been the theme of their season and a large reason why they have dropped away in the race for this season’s title. Merino’s goal, Arsenal’s 11th in all competitions from corners this season, shows that Arteta is justified in his continued work with set-piece coach Nicolas Jover, as their threat from set-pieces gets them crucial points, particularly in tight games.