The primary trophy of the season in England is up for grabs on Sunday at London’s Wembley Stadium, the place Liverpool and Newcastle United will face off to win the EFL Cup. The event comes with added significance for each side, exterior of the standard pomp and circumstance of a cup closing. The Reds are the reigning champions, with the EFL Cup serving as the ultimate trophy ex-manager Jurgen Klopp lifted earlier than his summer season exit and presents an opportunity at continuity because it may very well be the primary title his successor Arne Slot lifts throughout his stellar first marketing campaign with the membership. For Newcastle, the chance is arguably extra momentous – the crew has not received a significant trophy since 1969 and ending a decades-long trophy drought can be fairly the accomplishment for supervisor Eddie Howe, who’s within the midst of his fourth season with the Magpies.
Contemplating Slot’s begin to life in Liverpool, the EFL Cup seems like theirs to lose, although current kind means that issues might get sophisticated on Sunday. The calls for of an extended season appear to have caught as much as the Reds, who now even have the bags of Tuesday’s elimination from the UEFA Champions League in a penalty shootout in opposition to Paris Saint-Germain. Newcastle can be brisker, although they did play on Monday in a 1-0 Premier League win in opposition to West Ham. Participant availability may also play a giant position on this closing, with issues round Trent Alexander-Arnold’s health and Anthony Gordon lacking out for Newcastle by way of suspension.
Forward of a statement-making sport, this is what you might want to know.
How one can watch and odds
- Date: Sunday, March 16 | Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Wembley Stadium — London, England
- Stay stream: Paramount+
- Odds: Liverpool -150; Draw +310; Newcastle United +390
Historical past within the EFL Cup
This event has been held since 1960, generally known as the Soccer League Cup for 65 years, and for the final 9 years it has been generally known as the EFL Cup. No crew has received the competitors greater than Liverpool, with the Reds making 14 finals and profitable it 10 instances. They received it final 12 months in opposition to Chelsea because of a purpose in additional time by Virgil van Dijk. Newcastle have made the ultimate twice of their historical past forward of Sunday’s sport, shedding each finals in 1976 and 2023. The newest closing noticed them lose to Manchester United 2-0 with objectives from Casemiro and Marcus Rashford.
What’s on the road?
Liverpool are hoping for 2 trophies this season, whereas Newcastle are after their first home cup trophy since 1954-55. Our James Benge seemed on the matchup forward of the match and had the next to say about each.
Liverpool
“Actually, what historical past there’s to be made for Liverpool is a bit more esoteric. There can be no treble, however a win on Sunday would draw Arne Slot’s males degree with Manchester United for essentially the most home cups received in England. Someday in April or Could they may tie their nice rivals on 20 top-flight titles. Add of their superior document within the European Cup and the statistical case that the best crew within the nation performs at Anfield turns into arduous to debate.”
Newcastle
“Eddie Howe’s facet, backed by the transformative wealth of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, are tailored to tackle the perfect within the land. They confirmed as a lot in a semifinal in opposition to Arsenal the place they rode the moments on the again foot, trusting that star ahead Alexander Isak might win it for them on the different finish. Newcastle have needed to get to Wembley the arduous approach, beating Chelsea and Brentford on their option to the Arsenal semifinal they received so emphatically. That reasonably fits this crew.”
Prediction
Even with Liverpool’s kind, this sport was at all times going to be an uphill battle for Newcastle however discovering a option to win with out Gordon could be too tall a process. Anticipate the Reds to place this week’s Champions League defeat behind them and rediscover their robust performances of this season with the intention to win Slot’s first trophy because the Liverpool boss. Choose: Liverpool 2, Newcastle United 0
