Carabao Cup Final: Newcastle’s journey to Wembley

Carabao Cup Final: Newcastle’s journey to Wembley

Kieran Trippier is likely to captain Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final

Newcastle will face Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.

It is the first time the Magpies have reached the final of the competition since their only appearance in 1976, when they were beaten 2-1 by Manchester City.

The club hungry for success last captured a major domestic trophy in 1955, with a 3-1 FA Cup win over The Citizens.

Ahead of the Magpies’ chance to end that winless run, let’s look back at their trip to Wembley.

Second half: Tranmere 1-2 Newcastle
Eddie Howe made a heavy rotation against League Two Tranmere and it looked like he would pay the price when Elliott Nevitt gave Rovers the lead in the 21st minute.

Club captain Jamaal Lascelles relieved tensions with an equalizer just before half-time, heading home Kieran Trippier’s corner.

And seven minutes into the second half, Trippier provided another assist for Chris Wood to give Newcastle the 2-1 lead that would ultimately seal their passage into the next round.

Third round: Newcastle 0-0 Crystal Palace (3-2 on penalties)

Nick Pope was Newcastle’s hero against Crystal Palace
Howe made more changes for Crystal Palace visit.

Three days earlier, his team had beaten Southampton 4-1 in the Premier League and the manager opted to rest eight of his starting line-up from that convincing win.

The result is a tense scene in St James‘ Park. Goalkeeper Nick Pope had to make a crucial stop from Jean-Philippe Mateta in the first half, with his opponent Sam Johnstone denying Miguel Almiron late on.

In the shootout, Pope saved efforts by Luka Milivojevic, Mateta and Malcolm Ebiowei to become the hero of Newcastle’s spot-kick.

Fourth round: Newcastle 1-0 Bournemouth
This was Newcastle’s first game after the season was suspended for the World Cup.

Howe named Pope, Trippier, Fabian Schar, Bruno Guimaraes and Callum Wilson in his starting squad despite the fact they had all recently returned from international duty.

The match against fellow Premier League side Bournemouth was decided by a second-half own goal from Cherries defender Adam Smith.

Eddie Howe guided Newcastle past his former club Bournemouth
Quarter-finals: Newcastle 2-0 Leicester
The Magpies followed the soundtrack from the film Local Hero before taking to the pitch – and Dan Burn fulfilled that request in the quarter-final against Leicester.

Burn was released by 11-year-old Newcastle, only to return from Brighton in 2022.

He chose the right moment to score his first goal for the club by finishing the second half.

Popular Brazilian Joelinton then doubled the lead, sending Newcastle through to their first League Cup semi-final in 47 years.

Semi-final first leg: Southampton 0-1 Newcastle
Newcastle travel to Southampton for the first leg of their semi-final and Joelinton is on target once again for the Magpies.

After seeing a goal disallowed and then losing something to the sitter, the South Americans finally scored a legitimate goal in the 73rd minute.

Former Newcastle Saints academy product Adam Armstrong looked to have equalised, but a VAR review ruled out a late goal.

Semi-final second leg: Newcastle 2-1 Southampton

Sean Langstaff has racked up the most minutes of any Newcastle player in the Carabao Cup this season
Newcastle are heavy favorites at home to an in-form Southampton side but after such a long wait for silverware, no one takes anything for granted at St James’ Park.

Local kid Sean Longstaff probably understood the tension better than most and lifted the mood with his opener after just five minutes of play.

Longstaff scored again in the 21st minute and although Che Adams equalized for the visitors, the hosts held on comfortably enough, even after Guimaraes had been sent off.

Newcastle are finally back at Wembley and Howe now has the chance to win his first trophy for the club and end years of suffering for their long-suffering fans.