The first trophy of the season in England is up for grabs on Sunday at London’s Wembley Stadium, where Liverpool and Newcastle United will face off to win the EFL Cup. The occasion comes with added significance for both sides, outside of the usual pomp and circumstance of a cup final. The Reds are the reigning champions, with the EFL Cup serving as the final trophy ex-manager Jurgen Klopp lifted before his summer exit and offers a chance at continuity since it could be the first title his successor Arne Slot lifts during his stellar first campaign with the club. For Newcastle, the opportunity is arguably more momentous – the team has not won a major trophy since 1969 and ending a decades-long trophy drought would be quite the accomplishment for manager Eddie Howe, who is in the midst of his fourth season with the Magpies.
Considering Slot’s start to life in Liverpool, the EFL Cup feels like theirs to lose, though recent form suggests that things could get complicated on Sunday. The demands of a long season seem to have caught up to the Reds, who now also have the baggage of Tuesday’s elimination from the UEFA Champions League in a penalty shootout against Paris Saint-Germain. Newcastle will be fresher, though they did play on Monday in a 1-0 Premier League win against West Ham. Player availability will also play a big role in this final, with concerns around Trent Alexander-Arnold’s fitness and Anthony Gordon missing out for Newcastle through suspension.
Ahead of a statement-making game, here’s what you need to know.
How to watch and odds
- Date: Sunday, March 16 | Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Wembley Stadium — London, England
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: Liverpool -150; Draw +310; Newcastle United +390
History in the EFL Cup
This tournament has been held since 1960, known as the Football League Cup for 65 years, and for the last nine years it’s been known as the EFL Cup. No team has won the competition more than Liverpool, with the Reds making 14 finals and winning it 10 times. They won it last year against Chelsea thanks to a goal in extra time by Virgil van Dijk. Newcastle have made the final twice in their history ahead of Sunday’s game, losing both finals in 1976 and 2023. The most recent final saw them lose to Manchester United 2-0 with goals from Casemiro and Marcus Rashford.
What’s on the line?
Liverpool are hoping for two trophies this season, while Newcastle are after their first domestic cup trophy since 1954-55. Our James Benge looked at the matchup ahead of the match and had the following to say about both.
Liverpool
“Certainly, what history there is to be made for Liverpool is a little more esoteric. There will be no treble, but a win on Sunday would draw Arne Slot’s men level with Manchester United for the most domestic cups won in England. Sometime in April or May they will tie their great rivals on 20 top-flight titles. Add in their superior record in the European Cup and the statistical case that the greatest team in the country plays at Anfield becomes hard to debate.”
Newcastle
“Eddie Howe’s side, backed by the transformative wealth of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, are tailor-made to take on the best in the land. They showed as much in a semifinal against Arsenal where they rode the moments on the back foot, trusting that star forward Alexander Isak could win it for them at the other end. Newcastle have had to get to Wembley the hard way, beating Chelsea and Brentford on their way to the Arsenal semifinal they won so emphatically. That rather suits this team.”
Prediction
Even with Liverpool’s form, this game was always going to be an uphill battle for Newcastle but finding a way to win without Gordon might be too tall a task. Expect the Reds to put this week’s Champions League defeat behind them and rediscover their strong performances of this season in order to win Slot’s first trophy as the Liverpool boss. Pick: Liverpool 2, Newcastle United 0
