Liverpool vs Newcastle United - Preview, prediction, team news and lineups

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·15 March 2025

Liverpool vs Newcastle United - Preview, prediction, team news and lineups

Liverpool are unbeaten in 17 meetings with Newcastle, dating back a decade.

The Reds have won eight of the 11 domestic cup finals in which they've featured in start of the new millennium; the Magpies have lost each of their last six finals, most-recently winning one in 1969.

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Liverpool vs Newcastle United Preview

It is time for the 65th EFL Cup Final, so will the record-winners triumph at Wembley again, or can the underdogs end their seemingly never-ending wait for silverware, 25,146 days in the making?

Liverpool are ten-times League Cup winners, that's two more triumphs than anybody else, including hoisting this trophy aloft in both 2022 and last season, thereby seeking to retain it for the first time since 1984. To get to Wembley, the Reds had to overcome West Ham, Brighton, Southampton and Tottenham, beaten 1-0 in the first leg of their semi-final in North London, before roaring back with a 4-0 victory, swatting Spurs aside at Anfield.

Meanwhile, Arne Slot's side are a whopping 15 points clear at the top of the Premier League, unbeaten in 25 league matches, winning each of the last three, thereby five victories away from glory. However, 32,210 reds will be traveling to London on Sunday following a rare disappointment. On Tuesday night, Liverpool were dumped out of the Champions League by Paris Saint Germain. Having won 1-0 in the French capital, the Reds were then beaten 1-0 on Merseyside by PSG, meaning a penalty shootout was required, in which Darwin Núñez and Curtis Jones both missed from 12 yards as they crashed out. So, can Slot's team bounce back and capture silverware come Sunday?

As for Newcastle United, victory would see them end their 70-year long wait for a domestic trophy, during this period Liverpool have captured 64 major honours, dating back to the 1955 FA Cup Final. Having ousted Nottingham Forest, AFC Wimbledon, Chelsea and Brentford, Eddie Howe's team then impressively swatted aside Arsenal in the semi-finals, comfortably winning both legs 2-0.

In the Premier League meantime, the Magpies were 1-0 winners across London at West Ham on Monday night, with Bruno Guimarães the second half match-winner. Despite having lost four of six fixtures beforehand, the Toon Army have climbed up to sixth, firmly in the hunt for a Champions League spot. Nevertheless, what all Newcastle supporters crave above all else is silverware. Two years ago, their team didn't really show up, beaten fairly easily by Manchester United in the Carabao Cup Final. This time, can the Magpies upset the odds and get their hands on the trophy at Wembley?

Liverpool vs Newcastle United Head-to-Head Record

Matches Played: 189.

Liverpool Wins: 94. Draws: 45. Newcastle United Wins: 50.

Liverpool Team News

Trent Alexander-Arnold suffered an ankle injury against PSG so will miss this one, joining Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez on the sidelines. Thus, without their three obvious right-back options, it remains to be seen who will start there. Jarell Quansah came on in that position on Tuesday, but Arne Slot intimated on Friday that Curtis Jones could be an alternative; we'll have to wait and see.

That issue aside, an unchanged outfield lineup is forecast, apart from possibly in attack, where Diogo Jota has been starting, but Cody Gakpo could get the nod, having returned following an ankle injury. The Dutchman is currently this season's competition's top-scorer with five.

Lastly, in goal, Alisson has only ever started two EFL Cup ties in his career, one of which was the semi-final first leg at Spurs, so Caoimhín Kelleher is expected to be donning the gloves, as he did successfully in the 2022 and 2024 finals, converting during the victorious shootout three years ago.

Liverpool predicted lineup vs Newcastle United: (4-4-3): Kelleher; Quansah, Konaté, van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Luis Díaz, Jota.

Liverpool Player to Watch vs Newcastle United

Considering he has 32 goals and 22 assists to his name this season, we simply must highlight Mohamed Salah. Only four of the Egyptian's 243 goals for Liverpool have come in the EFL Cup, but ten have come against Newcastle, so will he add to both tallies at Wembley?

Newcastle United Team News

Eddie Howe is without several key players, namely Sven Botman and Lewis Hall due to injury, while Anthony Gordon's red card in the FA Cup means he is suspended. In Hall's absence, Tino Livramento will switch over the left-back with Kieran Trippier on the right, as was the case on Monday.

Meantime, without Gordon, Harvey Barnes was handed a rare start at West Ham although, this time, Howe is expected to go for the more defensive option of deploying Joelinton wide-left, with either Joe Willock or Sean Longstaff thereby coming into midfield. Lastly, in goal, Martin Dúbravka has started four of the last five EFL Cup ties, but Nick Pope has been restored in the Premier League in recent weeks, following injury, with the Englishman expected to be donning the gloves.

Newcastle United Player to Watch vs Liverpool

The very first of Alexander Isak's 57 goals for Newcastle came at Anfield in August 2022, scoring 22 times so far this season, on target whent Liverpool visited Tyneside in December. If the Magpies are going to upset the odds on Sunday, the Swede is certainly their most-likely hero.

Liverpool vs Newcastle United Prediction

We are backing Liverpool for victory at Wembley on Sunday. The Reds comfortably beat Newcastle at Anfield last month, with a similar outcome forecast: Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle United.