The Liverpool v Newcastle mismatch that summed up Carabao Cup final
Virgil van Dijk became a striker on the halfway line, for once obscured by another “colossus”. In his absence, Liverpool’s defence was held together by Dominik Szoboszlai, Jarell Quansah and Andy Robertson. Mohamed Salah stood on the periphery. For the second time in six days, he watched on, barely having a kick, as Liverpool suffered a painful defeat. On the touchline, Arne Slot found that he had Federico Chiesa at his disposal. The lesser-spotted Italian not only saw the Wembley pitch but scored Liverpool’s consolation in the Carabao Cup final. On the whole, it rather summed up an afternoon where barely anything went to plan for them.
For the second time in a week, Liverpool were beaten. Unlike the Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, this did not come down to the fine margins of a penalty shoot-out. “Disappointing result, disappointing performance,” Slot said. “Completely different to how I felt after PSG.”
Newcastle played with the spirit of a team who simply refused to consider any other outcome than ending their 70-year wait for domestic silverware. A famous day out at Wembley for those from Tyneside will become a mere footnote in the story of Liverpool’s first season under Slot should they go on to become Premier League champions. But there is a sense that the edges to his team, which were so sharp in opening up such a commanding lead in the top flight, have become a littler blurred this week.
Take, for instance, the image that may sum up Liverpool’s defeat here, the sight of Alexis Mac Allister marking the towering Dan Burn as Kieran Trippier stood over Newcastle’s sixth corner of the Wembley final. Eddie Howe revealed Newcastle had spent two weeks working on their set-pieces; Slot explained that Liverpool were prepared to leave an obvious threat on his own 15 yards from goal on the corner of the box. “99 of 100 times that will never lead to a goal,” Slot reasoned. The exception was Newcastle’s local hero. “In my life, I've never seen a player from that far away, heading the ball with so much force into the far corner,” Slot said.
Newcastle had flattened Liverpool from the start, rather like the way Burn attacked Tripper’s floated delivery to the back post. On Sky Sports, Jamie Carragher said they were “battered” and fortunate Newcastle had not won by more. Slot did not disagree, but added a caveat. “We were outplayed in their style,” he said. But it was Newcastle’s style that triumphed, the fast and furious press orchestrated by Howe, bypassing Liverpool’s with direct balls over the defensive line. “This game went exactly the way they wanted it to be: a fight,” Slot reflected. Liverpool were also bruised by Newcastle in the 3-3 draw at St James’ Park earlier this season but had not learned their lesson.
All over the Wembley pitch, Liverpool were second-best and Newcastle won the individual battles. It is rare that Dominik Szoboszlai is outworked but in midfield, the dynamic force was not Liverpool’s No 10 but Joelinton, the outstanding performer in the final who was everywhere for Newcastle. Mac Allister was not only found out of place when asked to track Burn, struggling to find his feet against the excellent, driving influence of Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali. Ryan Gravenberch has played every game for Liverpool in the Premier League but now appears to be running out of steam.
But Slot disagreed that Liverpool’s defeat came as a result of physical exertion. “This game had nothing to do with running,” Slot argued. “They won a lot of duels and a lot of duels through the air. We could play 10 games of football through the air against them and they probably win nine because they're a stronger team through the air than us.” It made for a particularly tough afternoon for Diogo Jota leading the line, with Burn and Fabian Schar dominant. His replacement Darwin Nunez, low on confidence after his penalty miss in midweek, fared no better. Andy Robertson, perhaps Liverpool’s fiercest competitor on the day, was also beaten in the air, out-jumped by Jacob Murphy at the back post as Alexander Isak added Newcastle’s second.
Slot attempted a switch at half-time. Liverpool looked to take more chances on the ball and play through Newcastle. They were bright for five minutes, before Newcastle resumed their physical barrage. Even in a more promising spell, Salah was a spectator. He can compensate for a lack of involvement with his productivity but the player of the season, like Liverpool, has endured his poorest games in the business end of the cups. Unlike PSG’s Nuno Mendes, Tino Livramento did not even need to have a particularly outstanding display to keep Salah in his pocket.
Days like this have been rare for Liverpool this season. Slot pointed out that after eight months, this was the first time his team had lost two games in a row. There is still a 12-point lead in the Premier League that Liverpool will return to after the international break, which has arrived at a good time and is long enough to get over the disappointment and return to winning the title. But, in a campaign where so much as gone their way, this was an afternoon where they were beaten at a different game - one that they were simply not ready to play.
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