Liverpool vs Newcastle LIVE: Carabao Cup final team news and line-ups as Slot makes call on Alisson and Kelleher

Liverpool and Newcastle United clash at Wembley with the first silverware of the season up for grabs in the Carabao Cup final.

Newcastle have not won a major domestic trophy in 70 years and the Magpies will travel down to London with high hopes of ending one of the longest droughts in British sport. Eddie Howe’s side lost the 2023 final to Manchester United and have endured a woeful record against Liverpool in recent years, with the Reds winning seven of their eight meetings since Howe took charge.

Liverpool are the Premier League champions elect but will be looking to win a first trophy under Arne Slot, having gone out of the Champions League to Paris Saint-Germain in midweek. They are the record winners of the League Cup and lifted a 10th title by beating Chelsea under Jurgen Klopp last season. Klopp’s final trophy at Liverpool could be followed by Slot’s first.

The final also puts two of the season’s outstanding forwards head to head as Mohamed Salah faces Alexander Isak. Salah could well be entering the final weeks of his Liverpool career, with his contract running out in the summer, while Newcastle will by relying on the in-demand Isak more than ever after losing Anthony Gordon to suspension.

Follow all the build-up and team news ahead of Liverpool vs Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final, below:

Liverpool vs Newcastle LIVE: Carabao Cup final updates

Liverpool and Newcastle meet in Carabao Cup final | Kick-off is at 4:30pm at Wembley
Liverpool are holders and are looking to win first trophy under Arne Slot
Newcastle are out to end their 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy
Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Quansah, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Jota, Diaz
Newcastle XI: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento; Tomali, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Barnes
Kelleher starts ahead of Alisson in Carabao Cup final | Newcastle unchanged from West Ham win

Liverpool FC - Newcastle United FC

Liverpool vs Newcastle

15:40 , Mike Jones

Liverpool and Newcastle have faced each other in a domestic cup final just once before.

Liverpool won the 1974 FA Cup final 3-0.

Liverpool's League Cup record

15:35 , Mike Jones

Liverpool are participating in their 15th League Cup final (five more than any other club) and they have won the trophy 10 times (two more than anyone else).

Kelleher starts ahead of Alisson in Carabao Cup final

15:34 , Jamie Braidwood

There’s only one place to start in terms of team news: Arne Slot has gone for Kelleher over Alisson in a huge call. The Irishman played in every game in the competition, barring the semi-final win over Tottenham, and has stared in Liverpool’s last two Carabao Cup triumphs.

He scored a penalty in the shootout win over Chelsea in 2022 and made key saves against the Blues as Virgil van Dijk scored a late winner in 2024.

Liverpool vs Newcastle line-ups

15:32 , Mike Jones

Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Quansah, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Jota

Here’s how we line up for the #CarabaoCupFinal 👊

UP THE REDS! 🔴
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 16, 2025

Newcastle XI: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento; Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Barnes

Your Carabao Cup Final Magpies 💪

HOWAY THE LADS! 🖤🤍#wedontdoquiet pic.twitter.com/YRIL9XWrFV
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) March 16, 2025

Isak to hurt Liverpool?

15:27 , Mike Jones

Alexander Isak has had a hand in four goals across his five appearances against Liverpool (three goals, one assist – all in the Premier League).

Will he be a threat today?

How to watch the Carabao Cup final

15:22 , Mike Jones

Liverpool will face Newcastle at 4:30pm on Sunday 16 March at Wembley Stadium.

The Carabao Cup final will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football.

A first for Slot?

15:17 , Mike Jones

Arne Slot can become the first Reds boss since Joe Fagan in 1984 to win the League Cup in his first season in charge.

This will be his fourth final in charge of a team, with all three previous games ending 1-0 when he was in the dugout for Feyenoord.

A good omen for Liverpool

15:12 , Mike Jones

On the last four occasions the holders of the League Cup have reached the final, they have lifted the trophy.

Manchester United did so in 2009-10 and Manchester City did in 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Konate on last year's final

15:07 , Mike Jones

The Liverpool centre back added: “I think the most important thing for me was the end, when we won, how the fans reacted in the stands. It was unbelievable and it’s just very nice.

“I think everyone plays football to play one day in a final. You have excitement, pressure, and we play football for that.

“At the end, when you get a good result, you can just be very happy with the fans and you can see the emotion in them. This is top.”

Newcastle players arrive at Wembley

14:59 , Jamie Braidwood

Dan Burn, called up to Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad on Friday, leads the Newcastle team out onto the Wembley pitch, stopping as Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville offer a handshake and a word of congratulations as he does so.

There aren’t many Newcastle fans in the stadium yet, but those set behind the goal made quite the noise as their players walked out onto the turf.

Konate on celebrating at Wembley

14:55 , Mike Jones

Ibrahima Konate has fond memories of playing at Wembley having won the Carabao Cup twice and the FA Cup once at the national stadium.

The France international is excited to be back and spoke to Liverpoolfc.com ahead of this afternoon’s clash.

“I’m very happy to go there again – what a stadium – and everyone who was there for the last final can realise how the fans, how the atmosphere, will be,” he said,

“I’m very happy to go again. When you win a trophy with Liverpool it’s just unbelievable. I have so many memories, all my family do as well, when we talk about the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup because I have just won these two competitions.

“But when you see the stands at the end of the game, you just have no words to describe what you can see and yes, it’s good to have this again.”

Newcastle fans descend on London

14:46 , Jamie Braidwood

The London underground was a sea of black and white this afternoon as Newcastle fans flocked to their second Carabao Cup final in three years. With Trafalgar Square closed due to an event, the travelling Geordies were stationed at Covent Garden this afternoon soaking up the atmosphere, before making their way down Wembley Way.

They will hope to see their team end a 70-year wait for a domestic trophy.

As Newcastle and Liverpool clash in unique Carabao Cup final, so do romance and politics

14:45 , Miguel Delaney

By the early hours of Wednesday morning, Arne Slot was already thinking about ways to subtly recondition Liverpool’s focus. He wanted to make sure the players seamlessly went from the disappointment of Wednesday in the Champions League to seizing the opportunity of Sunday in the Carabao Cup final.

There were no such necessities for Newcastle United. They’ve been gearing up to this for weeks, because they’ve been waiting for such an opportunity for years.

Many at Newcastle can’t remember winning any trophy at all. Nobody needs reminding that it is 56 years since the club lifted the old Fairs Cup, which was the Europa League’s forerunner, and 70 since the FA Cup. You can sense the yearning.

Preview by Miguel Delaney

As Newcastle and Liverpool clash in unique final, so do romance and politics

Arne Slot backs Jarell Quansah to fill void left by Trent Alexander-Arnold

14:30 , Jamie Braidwood

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has no doubts about Jarell Quansah’s ability to fill in for the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold in the Carabao Cup final having seen how hard the 22-year-old has worked to recover from an early-season setback.

Alexander-Arnold is facing an extended spell on the sidelines – Slot said he would be back before the end of the season – with an ankle injury sustained in their Champions League exit to Paris St Germain on Tuesday.

It leaves Slot without a recognised right-back as Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez are still recovering from injuries of their own.

That means Quansah will most likely be asked to fill in, having lost his place as starting centre-back at half-time of the season opener at Ipswich.

Jarell Quansah can fill void left by Trent Alexander-Arnold – Arne Slot

Arne Slot on picking Alisson or Kelleher

14:15 , Richard Jolly

Arne Slot hinted that Alisson will start against Newcastle at Wembley, rather Caoimhin Kelleher, a hero of Liverpool’s last two Carabao Cup final wins.

The Liverpool head coach was yet to tell the two goalkeepers which will play and who will be on the bench on Sunday.

“They haven’t heard it themselves but everyone that uses common sense [might guess],” said Slot. “So [look] all of our line-ups, [you] might have an idea.”

Slot turned to Alisson for the first leg of the semi-final against Tottenham, giving him just his second ever appearance in the competition but offering a sign he will bring in his first choice for the biggest games.

Kelleher has been Liverpool’s normal keeper in the Carabao Cup in recent seasons, scoring their 11th spot kick in the 2022 final shootout against Chelsea and keeping another clean sheet against the London club last year.

What is the Liverpool team news?

13:55 , Jamie Braidwood

Trent Alexander-Arnold has been ruled out of the Carabao Cup final and faces an extended spell on the sidelines after suffering an ankle injury in the defeat to PSG. With Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley also unavailable, Alexander-Arnold is likely to be replaced by Jarell Quansah at right back.

Ibrahima Konate limped off against PSG but is expected to be fine. Cody Gakpo returned off the bench against PSG and is back in contention. After starting in the semi-final win over Tottenham, Alisson is expected to play ahead of back-up Caoimhin Kelleher, who has started Liverpool’s last two Carabao Cup triumphs.

What is the Newcastle team news?

13:35 , Jamie Braidwood

Newcastle have endured a tough run ahead of the Carabao Cup final, losing their first-choice left side after Anthony Gordon was suspended for three games and Lewis Hall suffered a season-ending injury. Sven Botman is also unavailable for Eddie Howe, who is yet to beat Liverpool while in charge of Newcastle.

Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento should start at left wing and left back respectively, with Kieran Trippier starting at right back, while Alexander Isak and Joelinton were unavailable for Newcastle’s defeat to Liverpool late last month but are available to boost Howe’s side.

Arne Slot on Carabao Cup final: 'It would be a good start'

11:15 , Richard Jolly

The Carabao Cup offers Arne Slot the chance to win his first trophy in England. Only two Liverpool managers since Bill Shankly have not won silverware, in Roy Hodgson and Brendan Rodgers.

“I also saw that almost every manager has worked here for five, six, seven, eight, nine years,” he said. “So it helps if you are here for years rather than months.”

Liverpool are closing in on the Premier League title but Slot smiled that if he only claims the Carabao Cup in his time at Anfield, his reign will not be celebrated.

“I think that is for you guys to judge in four or five years… if I had only won the League Cup, I don’t think you would write a book about me,” he said. “But it would be a good start.”

Arne Slot’s side were beaten on penalties (Dave Thompson/AP) (AP)

A look at Newcastle’s near-misses in 70-year wait for domestic silverware

10:55 , Jamie Braidwood

Newcastle are aiming to end a 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy when they face Liverpool at Wembley.

Their dream of ending that drought, which stretches back to the 1955 FA Cup final, is very much alive.

Newcastle’s last piece of significant silverware of any description came in the 1969 European Fairs Cup, have suffered during the intervening years.

A look at Newcastle’s near-misses in 70-year wait for domestic silverware

Good morning

09:00 , Jamie Braidwood

Liverpool and Newcastle clash in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley as Eddie Howe’s side look to finally end their 70-year wait for a domestic trophy.

Newcastle lost the Carabao Cup final to Manchester United two years ago to prolong one one of the longest trophy droughts in British sport - but the Magpies will travel to London with confidence as well as hope thanks to the goalscoring form of talisman Alexander Isak.

Liverpool, though, will start as favourites to lift the first silverware of the season as the runaway Premier League leaders look to win their first trophy under Arne Slot. Liverpool are also defending champions having beaten Chelsea last season to win the League Cup for a record-extending 10th time.

We’ll bring you all the build-up between now and kick-off at 4:30pm.

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