Liverpool delivered one of their poorest performances in a major final, suffering a disappointing League Cup final defeat to Newcastle United.
Dan Burn and Alexander Isak scored on either side of halftime, and despite a late consolation goal from Federico Chiesa, the Reds were lackluster throughout, ultimately falling L 2-1 at Wembley on Sunday.
The loss means Arne Slot will have to wait for his first trophy as Liverpool manager, though his side remains 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League with nine games left.
Player Ratings:
Caoimhin Kelleher – 6
Made a few routine claims in a quiet first half and distributed the ball well. Couldn’t do much about either Newcastle goal but produced some good saves in the second half.
Jarell Quansah – 7
Aside from one heavy touch that nearly let Isak in, he held his own against Barnes and made a promising forward run in the first half. Adapted well when moved to different positions late on.
Ibrahima Konaté – 6
Mixed performance—made some important clearances but also gave the ball away too easily. Substituted after Liverpool conceded the second goal.
Virgil van Dijk – 8
Dominated Isak in aerial duels before halftime and defended aggressively. The only Liverpool player who looked close to his usual level, even pushing forward in the final minutes.
Andy Robertson – 5
Made two crucial blocks to deny Isak and Trippier and tried to inject energy into Liverpool’s play. However, he was beaten by Murphy at the back post for Newcastle’s second goal.
Ryan Gravenberch – 4
Struggled again, appearing fatigued both mentally and physically. Played much of the second half at center-back before being subbed.
Alexis Mac Allister – 5
Tried to dictate play with his passing but was too easily dispossessed at times. Shouldn’t have been marking Burn at set pieces. Substituted.
Mohamed Salah – 3
Had little impact as most of Liverpool’s attacks came down the left. Struggled to make an impact on the game and was rarely this ineffective.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 5
Started brightly but faded quickly in the first half. Had slightly more involvement after the break but still not enough.
Luis Díaz – 4
Showed glimpses of promise but lacked end product. Struggled to get past Trippier and lacked composure in key moments. Substituted.
Diogo Jota – 3
Received little service and was isolated against Newcastle’s towering defenders. Did have one half-chance but failed to capitalize. Substituted.
Substitutes:
Darwin Núñez (for Jota, 57’) – 4
Had one heavy touch inside the box and was largely anonymous.
Curtis Jones (for Konaté, 57’) – 5
Tested Pope with a shot and injected some energy into Liverpool’s attack. Fired another effort over.
Cody Gakpo (for Mac Allister, 67’) – 4
Managed to deliver one cross but looked unfit.
Federico Chiesa (for Gravenberch, 74’) – 7
Scored a late goal but had little time to change the outcome.
