Liverpool 1 Newcastle 2: Jubilant Toon finally end 70 years of heartache to win Carabao Cup in week from hell for Reds

SO it turns out that this is Dan Burn’s world and the rest of us should be grateful just for living in it.

Two days after earning his first England call-up at the age of 32, the 6ft 7in boyhood Newcastle fan headed the goal which propelled his club to their first domestic trophy in 70 years. 

The bloke with the same lanky stature as the Angel of the North will soon be having his likeness cast in bronze outside St James’ Park after this glorious afternoon for the Toon.

When the Saudi cash rolled into Newcastle three years ago, Burn was at Brighton and believed he would never fulfil his dream of pulling on the black-and-white stripes. 

Yet here he was powering home the first-half header which sent Eddie Howe’s side on their way to Carabao Cup Final victory over the runaway Premier League leaders. 

Liverpool looked flat and fatigued after their Champions League exit against Paris St Germain on Tuesday night. 

And if they didn’t have such a commanding 12-point lead at the top of the Premier League, Arne Slot’s men would be fearing a complete meltdown.  

Newcastle – who lost in this final to Manchester United two years ago, and hadn’t won a Wembley final since the 1955 FA Cup – took full advantage, Alexander Isak thumping home the second shortly after the interval. 

Burn, called up by new England chief Thomas Tuchel for the Wembley World Cup qualifying double-header against Albania and Latvia, is renowned as one of the nicest men in football. 

The former Asda shelf-stacker has been living the dream since signing for Newcastle in 2022 but these past three days have played out like the wildest of fantasies. 

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The Geordie Arabia boys were well worth this victory – never allowing Liverpool to settle early on, then overwhelming them either side of the break.   

Howe became the first English manager to win a major English trophy in 17 years, since Harry Redknapp’s Portsmouth won the FA Cup in 2008. 

The Newcastle manager had been Redknapp’s first signing as manager at Fratton Park but left long before that Wembley success.

But while Liverpool love to tell us that ‘This Means More’ to their club, there was no doubt which set of supporters were more fired up for this final. 

The Toon Army had taken over Covent Garden, doubtless serenading them with operatic versions of The Blaydon Races and We Are The Geordie Boot Boys.  

Before kick-off, there was a wall of noise and a display of 32,000 black-and-white scarves one end and near silence from the other end, until Liverpool fans woke up for their traditional booing of the national anthem. 

Newcastle had lost five Wembley finals since Jackie Milburn & Co triumphed in 1955, so this was a long overdue trophy for their passionate supporters.

Howe, missing his first-choice left-side through an injury to Lewis Hall and Anthony Gordon’s ban, chose Nick Pope in goal, the England keeper having missed the 2023 final. 

It was a decent start from Newcastle, with no sense of them freezing on the big stage as they did in defeat by United two years ago. 

Sandro Tonali shot narrowly wide from an Isak pass before Ibrahima Konate denied the Swede a clear chance by intercepting a Jacob Murphy centre.

Liverpool looked jaded after extra-time and penalties against PSG and Howe’s men were winning plenty in midfield.

Newcastle were lucky not to concede a penalty when Kieran Trippier handled in the box, stopping the ball from reaching Luis Diaz. 

Neither ref John Brooks nor VAR Stuart Attwell were interested and the Toon took full advantage of their let-off.

When Joelinton halted one Liverpool break with a tackle on Jarell Quansah, the Geordies celebrated as if their team had scored.

And then, on the stroke of half-time, they did. 

Trippier’s corner went deep and Burn was virtually unmarked, 14 yards out when he headed back across goal into the far corner. 

After his England call-up on Friday, the giant Northumbrian must have been wondering when he will wake up from all of this.

Before the break, Liverpool finally had a shot, although Diogo Jota screwed his shot wide after Mo Salah’s break down the right.

Newcastle were straight back at it after the break. First a Trippier corner was helped on by Joelinton to Burn whose shot was pushed out by Caoimhin Kelleher for Isak to tap in – only for an offside flag to rule the effort out. 

Still, it didn’t matter because Isak netted again a minute later and this time it counted. 

Tino Livramento motored down the left and centred for Murphy to win a big header, allowing the Swede to lash home from close range. 

Liverpool were being overrun and the black-and-white half of Wembley was in rapture.

Curtis Jones, newly arrived as a sub, had a powerful shot brilliantly saved by Pope. 

Soon after, it ought to have been 3-0 when Kelleher pushed out a close-range Isak volley. 

The Toon Army were clearly anxious, the weight of miserable history on their shoulders. 

And four minutes into injury-time, the nerves were properly jangling when Federico Chiesa raced through and slotted home for Liverpool. 

The Italian’s effort was originally flagged offside but VAR overruled, setting up a severely nervous climax.

Burn was an absolute colossus. At this rate, he’ll be lifting the World Cup for England in New Jersey next summer.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk