Home of football statistics and historyThe 2024/25 League Cup final will be contested between Newcastle United and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, March 16.
Newcastle booked their place in the final with a hugely impressive 4-0 aggregate victory over Arsenal, while Liverpool overcame Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 overall.
Read on as we look at the route Newcastle and Liverpool each took to Wembley, before assessing which team will lift the prestigious trophy next month.
Newcastle aiming for better luck at Wembley
Newcastle reached the final of this competition in 2022/23, but came up short as Manchester United claimed a fully deserved 2-0 victory.
The Magpies’ route to Wembley has been tricky this time around. They needed penalties to progress through their second-round tie at Nottingham Forest.
Eddie Howe’s side recorded a 1-0 home victory over AFC Wimbledon in round three, but it was all-Premier League opposition from that point onwards.
They defeated Chelsea 2-0 at St James’ Park in the fourth round, before claiming a 3-1 home victory over Brentford in the quarter-finals.
Newcastle upset the odds in the first leg of their semi-final against Arsenal, securing a thrilling 2-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium.
They completed the job in style on home turf with another 2-0 win, sparking wild celebrations among the club’s loyal supporters.
Betting odds for the 2024/25 League Cup Final
Liverpool are the clear betting favourites going into the Wembley showpiece, but with the Premier League and Champions League still in contention, bookmakers in the UK and across Europe consider Newcastle to be close underdogs with great potential for creating an upset.
Of course, for fans who frequently gamble online, there is the added benefit of having casino review websites such as OnlineCasinos.MT where they can find the best online casino for their needs. In addition to security and online safety, gambling bonuses are often cited as the key determining factor in attracting new customers.
So whether you are simply looking to bet on football, or fancy finding the best casino bonuses online, you can check out OnineCasinos.MT for the latest rankings.
Liverpool shrug off defeat to power through to the final
Liverpool have defeated four Premier League sides on their way to the final, starting with a 5-1 demolition job on West Ham United in the third round.
The Reds followed up with a 3-2 victory at Brighton & Hove Albion in round four, before claiming a 2-1 win at Southampton in the quarter-finals.
Arne Slot’s side lost 1-0 at Tottenham in the first leg of their semi-final, but went into the reverse fixture as overwhelming favourites to go through.
Cody Gakpo levelled the tie at Anfield, before further goals by Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dik completed an emphatic 4-1 aggregate success.
Liverpool have been flying under new manager Arne Slot this season and will be confident about their chances of retaining the League Cup.
However, their recent 1-0 defeat at Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup will give Newcastle belief they can upset the odds and end their long wait for a major trophy.
Slot’s side must guard against complacency
Liverpool have reached the League Cup final 14 times, and have gone on to lift the trophy ten times, and are the defending champions. They are worthy favourites to beat Newcastle this year.
Newcastle have previously featured in two finals (1975/76 & 2022/23), but have yet to break their duck in the competition.
The recent head-to-head between the two sides undoubtedly favours Liverpool. They are unbeaten in their last 16 meetings with Newcastle (W11, D5).
However, Newcastle will take heart from their most recent outing against the Reds having held them to a 3-3 draw at St James’ Park in the Premier League in early December.
Liverpool went into the game on the back of an impressive defeat of reigning champions Manchester City, but they struggled to match Newcastle’s intensity.
Alexander Isak stunned the visitors with a brilliant strike from distance in the first half, but Curtis Jones levelled the scoreline five minutes after the break.
Anthony Gordon sent St James’ Park wild when he made it 2-1 but in the 62nd minute, but Mohamed Salah’s brace handed Liverpool an undeserved lead.
Newcastle refused to lie down and were rewarded when centre-back Fabian Schar hooked in a late equaliser to clinch a well-deserved point.
Their form over the past few weeks has been a little patchy, with home defeats against Bournemouth and Fulham putting a dent into their hopes of a top-four finish.
Despite this, they were superb over both legs of their semi-final against Arsenal and undoubtedly have the ability to cause Liverpool problems.
Liverpool’s ongoing involvement in the Champions League could impact their hopes of winning the League Cup for a record-extending 15th time.
They are scheduled to play both legs of their last-16 tie ahead of the final, and also have a Premier League game against Southampton sandwiched in between.
Dependent on the draw, Liverpool could play the second leg of their Champions League tie just four days before they are scheduled to face Newcastle at Wembley.
While the bookmakers rate Slot’s side as the favourites to win the League Cup, it would be foolish to think the result is a foregone conclusion.
0 Comments