Inside Futbol
·16. März 2025
Newcastle Aren’t Pushing Us For Title – Former Liverpool Star Struggling To Accept Final Loss

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·16. März 2025
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Neil Mellor has expressed huge disappointment that Liverpool went down to an ‘inconsistent’ Newcastle United side, who are not pushing them for the title, in the EFL Cup final.
Liverpool were off the boil at Wembley as Newcastle quickly imposed themselves on the final, looking to end a lengthy silverware drought.
It looked like the Reds would get to half-time at 0-0 to regroup after 45 minutes to forget, but Dan Burn struck on the stroke of the break to hand the Magpies the lead.
Things got even better for Newcastle in the second half as Alexander Isak doubled their lead in the 52nd minute.
Liverpool did eventually rally, thanks to a host of substitutions made by Arne Slot, and were given hope in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa struck.
It was not enough though and Newcastle claimed the EFL Cup 2-1, leaving former Liverpool hitman Mellor hugely disappointed.
Mellor insists that Newcastle are an inconsistent side who are just battling to try and finish in the top four, indicating they are not near the level of a Liverpool team closing in on the Premier League title.
He is clear he can accept Liverpool having come off second best against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, but losing to a Newcastle team who are not at the Reds’ level is a huge disappointment.
Mellor said on LFC TV just after the final whistle (16th March): “It’s been a horrible, horrible week. Got beaten by PSG and you can accept it because they are an exceptional team and we were unlucky because we lost on pens.
“Newcastle are a very inconsistent side. They have got a job on their hands to finish in the top four, five, but they have been at it today.
“We are the best side in the country when you look at the Premier League – didn’t show that today.
“We didn’t show how good we can be and that’s what is frustrating. Against PSG, we had a go and we had our moments and we were a bit unlucky.
“Today we were well beaten against a side who are fighting to finish in the top four and that’s disappointing.
“They are not a side who are pushing us for the title and that’s what is really disappointing”, Mellor added.
Liverpool now have a long period in which to regroup as the international break kicks in and they are not next in action until early April, when Everton are the visitors to Anfield in a Premier League clash.