TF Match Preview - Carabao Cup Final, Wembley 2025

Not one, not two, but three for the price of one, as our regular previewers serve up a Wembley hat trick!

7th May 1955, c.17:00pm: a diminutive Scotsman by the name James ‘Jimmy’ Scoular wearily climbs the 39 steps that lead to Wembley Stadium’s royal box to receive the FA Cup from a then 29-year-old Queen Elizabeth II.

Chances are, if you are taking time out of your weekend preparations to read this, a member of your family would have been present to witness the above – the last time a Newcastle United captain triumphantly raised a domestic pot in the direction of a Geordie horde gathered at the ‘Home of Football’.

It may have been your Fatha (if you’re old enough), your grandad, your great grandad or even a distant uncle – but if you were lucky enough to be born and raised in our great city, I’d put money on the fact that someone in your bloodline was there.

After three Cup wins in four years, had anyone had the temerity to suggest to those present that, 70 years later, their descendants would still be awaiting a domestic trophy being held aloft by a man bedecked in black and white stripes, they’d have undoubtedly removed a half-smoked woodbine and proceeded to laugh wildly in your face.

And yet, here we are.

In the 25,516 days since that day, the world has seen what many in attendance all that time ago would have thought impossible: man has walked on the moon, diseases have been discovered and cured, Sunderland have won the FA Cup.

Yes, it has been far, far too long.

Admittedly, Liverpool are a great team and are seen by many Mags as one hurdle too far in our quest to get this Angel of the North sized monkey off our backs – but remember, fellow Mag, that we also have a team packed with hugely talented international footballers who are capable of blowing the very best of teams away on their day.

Yes, up top we may be missing Anthony Gordon, but we still have the most sought-after centre forward in European football in Alexander Isak – the only player I know to visibly scare the shit out of Virgil van Dijk

At the back, despite being bereft of Hall and Botman, we are able to field Kieran Tripper, Dan Burn, and Tino Livramento – one an England stalwart who has won League titles and played on the biggest of stages, another who is a now bona-fide England international who would happily bleed black and white for our cause, and the last one of the most exciting full backs currently plying their trade in the Premier League.

And then we have the midfield...our beautiful Latin triumvirate

In Bruno Guimarães, Sandro Tonali, and the wrecking ball that is Joelinton, we possess a midfield that is more than a match for anything European football has to offer – and I mean ANYTHING. Trust me when I tell you, if these three turn up and collectively put in the sort of performance we all know they are capable of, we can put an end to the hurt endured by generations of Geordies the world over.

So, whether you’re one of the lucky 32,000 with a ticket, a Pot 6’er heading to one of dozens of Black and White watering holes in the big smoke, or simply watching with like-minded Mags closer to home, I would implore you to not concern yourselves with who is missing, but instead remember who isn’t, because we CAN do this.

Above all, be loud, be proud, be defiant...but most importantly, BELIEVE.

Lee Forster @LeeDForster

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After what felt like the longest week in eternity, Wembley Weekend has finally arrived. This is saying something, considering our last match was only on Monday. But, the excitement for the Carabao Cup Final has steadily risen with each passing day, making it very difficult to focus on anything else. Regardless of whether you’re optimistic or pessimistic, admit it: you’re more than a bit ecstatic to be travelling down to London.

Personally, I’m completely buzzing. I’m going to be one of the thousands of ticketless Mags, but that hasn’t marred my enthusiasm in the slightest. I’m looking forward to going to Covent Garden, as it’s home to one of my favourite football memories.

It was May 2017, and South Shields FC had reached the final of the FA Vase. Hundreds of the Mariners travelled down to London, most congregating in one spot on the Saturday. Mason’s Café Bar, a cosy pub nestled in Covent Garden, was owned by a couple originally from the town. They decorated the place out for the occasion, putting a huge claret-and-blue balloon archway outside the front door.

It was alive with energy from the supporters, singing the daft little tunes about saveloys and what not. I was only 13 years old at the time, and thought it was a really lovely experience. Sadly, Mason’s closed a year later, but I’ll never forget seeing my hometown come together in a bar in big, sprawling London.

Naturally, there will be more than a few hundred meeting up in Covent Garden this time around, but I really just hope that united atmosphere can be recaptured.

As for the match itself, it’s safe to say that most fans are going into it with a certain trepidation towards Liverpool. They’re going to win the league, they’ve won countless trophies, they’ve got the best player in the world, etc. etc. Whilst all of this is probably true, I think we need to stop underselling ourselves.

It’s much easier to play into the whole ‘underdog’ narrative, especially as a way to cushion the blow if we do get turned over. However, it is okay to say that we do have some top-quality players. Yes, certain injuries and a suspension to our starting XI have thrown a spanner in the works, but this news has massively overshadowed the players who are available.

As Lee reminded us above, Tonali, Bruno, and Joelinton are one of the strongest midfields in the league. Trippier has bundles of experience, especially in cup finals. And of course, Isak. Watching Monday night’s game and seeing how those West Ham defenders would panic whenever he had the ball tells you everything you need to know about him. Think about it: Liverpool would take Isak over Nunez in a heartbeat (I’ll say that and then he’ll score the last-minute winner).

The Liverpool players aren’t Gods, as proven by PSG on Tuesday. Our players aren’t (totally) useless, as we put four past the same team. It’s in our Geordie DNA to prepare for the worst, but this time, let’s try and really hope for the best. A little bit of faith might just go a long way.

On a last note, my first article for this fanzine came after the final two years ago. This was my first foray into journalism, and I wasn’t sure if I’d like it. Flash-forward to this weekend, I’m going to be speaking about this year’s final on BBC Radio 5 Live. I would’ve never got this opportunity without the support over the last two years, so thank you for reading my articles!

1-0. Smash and grab. HWTL!

Grace Laidler @gracewillhuntin

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Freeman Mag’s Hunt for Red Omens:

Obscure fact: The last time Newcastle United faced Liverpool at Wembley the Mags won, albeit on penalties. It was not that long ago – well, 1988, and, yes, I was there, not many were. Details at: Football League Centenary Tournament – Wikipedia. (Ed: or enjoy Scott's brilliant Flashback piece from earlier today!)

Aged just 16, I experienced the tension of a 0-0 draw (there were a few that day) followed by a ‘straight to sudden death’ penalty shootout win 1-0 which Spotty McDonald dispatched, after the shortest keeper in the world saved off McMahon with his little Gary Kelly feet.

Check this 90 seconds out:

Yes, even NUFC celebrations were a shambles – can’t even high five without falling over.

Typically Newcastle, we knock out Liverpool, the best team in the land, then lose to the lowest team in the competition in the next round, Tranmere Rovers, denying NUFC a second day of play at Wembley on the Sunday. I trudged home as a very disappointed little Black & White Mag.

This was not to be the last time such a trudge was made, as a soggy Charity Shield, two FA Cup Finals, one Semi-Final and then LC2023 all were added to my / NUFC’s Wembley Disappointment Bank.

Trying to find some other good omens, I was also at Anfield the last time Newcastle United won there, with another home-grown full-back scoring a 1-0 winner – this time good old Steve ‘Stevie’ Watson. It was in the League Cup as well. NUFC were class then, our collars retro-cool compared to the hideous huge LFC ones.

However, such good omens are the slim pickings of LFC/NUFC history in my lifetime; the actual track record of all games show The Reds far in the ascendancy and do not even say the words ‘Four-Three’.

Head prediction: NUFC are two-nil down before half-time and get well beaten by three or four to nil. It is all horrible from the minute the first whistle goes.

Heart prediction: NUFC turn up, chests out and hearts pumping. Gutsy performance gets us to half-time 0-0. Liverpool don’t seem at it. One of HB11, Smiley, or The Smurf slides in a low, skidding shot from edge of box around 73 minutes. NUFC hold out for a skanky but glorious 1-0 win. Other versions of this madness are available. A heroic 2-0 after an opening minute strike. A nail-biting win 7-6 on penalties. An amazing 4-3 with Isak in the Collymore role. Choose whichever to get you to sleep tonight.

I travel in hope, but with next-to-zero expectation. NUFC are not quite yet in a place where they can be seriously expected to contend, let alone win Cup Finals; sadly the gap between us and them is still a bit too far. Let’s hope I am wrong.

FREEMAN MAG