Newcastle beat Liverpool 2-1 in the Carabao Cup final to clinch their first major trophy since 1955 on Sunday, sparking jubilant scenes across the North East – and in Gary Lineker’s house
Gary Lineker says he celebrated Newcastle’s historic Carabao Cup final victory like it was his own team, but insists he meant “no disrespect” to Liverpool.
The Magpies ended 70 years of hurt in stunning style on Sunday as they beat Liverpool 2-1 under the famous Wembley arch to clinch their first piece of major silverware since 1955. Dan Burn and Alexander Isak scored Newcastle’s goals, with Federico Chiesa grabbing a late consolation for the Reds in what marked the first win in six finals for the Toon.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker said he couldn’t help but throw his lot in with Eddie Howe’s side, who, heading into the final, were the underdogs. “I was watching the game with all of my lads… and when Dan Burn headed [the opening goal] in all five of us leapt up in the air, shouting like that was our team,” the 64-year-old admitted.
“No disrespect to Liverpool… but they’ve won so much, and I think most neutrals with a heart wanted Newcastle to win.”
Despite having just 34 per cent of the ball, Newcastle were worthy winners after creating the lion’s share of the game’s chances, and limiting Liverpool to just two shots on target. Fittingly, it was boyhood Magpies fan Burn who broke the deadlock with a ferocious header from 15 yards out which arrowed past a helpless Caoimhin Kelleher.
A few minutes after having a goal ruled out for a narrow offside, Isak doubled Newcastle’s advantage with his 23rd goal of the season, cooling steering the ball home after latching on to a pint-point Jacob Murphy knockdown. The 2-0 deficit injected a little urgency in Liverpool’s play, but desperation failed to translate into end product.
It wasn’t until the 94th minute that Nick Pope’s net finally rippled, yet it proved to be Liverpool’s last meaningful attack. In the dying moments, Newcastle expertly kept possession, frustrating their opponents until referee John Brooks’ whistle signalled full time – triggering one of the biggest roars Wembley has heard in years.
Among the thousands of elated Toon fans was Alan Shearer, who was spotted going wild in the stands after the game, and the Premier League legend was all too happy to tell his podcast colleagues about the players’ afterparty he joined later in the night. “The Box Park where we went afterwards, ahh, it was f***ing chaos,” he said.
“I spoke to quite a few of them [the Newcastle players]. Harvey Barnes, big Dan [Burn], Joelinton. All I could do was say, ‘howay, give me a f***ing hug, you! You’ve made my life! Do you realise what you’ve achieved?’
“That’s what I kept saying to them, ‘do you realise what you’ve achieved? I hope that in the next days and weeks you understand the size of what you’ve just done’.”
Shearer spent a decade at St James’ Park as a player, netting a club-record 206 goals in 405 appearances, though a trophy always eluded him. However, the 54-year-old insists that Sunday’s triumph felt just as satisfying as the titles he won during his playing days – a sentiment Lineker wholeheartedly echoed.
“It’s really strange,” Lineker said. “When people ask me what’s [your] best moment ever in sport, I would say when Leicester won the league [in 2016], and I would say the second one would be when Leicester won the FA Cup [in 2021].
“I took no part in them whatsoever, and I’ve won the FA Cup, the Copa del Rey, the European Cup Winners’ Cup, but they didn’t compare. It’s a weird thing. It’s that tribality that we lean into to. It’s amazing what it does to you… there’s something about being a fan because it’s out of your control.”
“That’s exactly it,” Shearer replied. “I was just about to say the same thing. Because even when I went to Wembley as a player, I was never as nervous or as excited as I was as a fan. Everything about it was just madness.”
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