- Gary Neville blasted Arne Slot’s tactical approach in the EFL Cup final
- Liverpool suffered a 2-1 defeat by Newcastle and were outplayed in the game
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Why the League Cup final is Newcastle’s to lose
Gary Neville laid into Arne Slot, criticising his tactical approach during Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat by Newcastle in the EFL Cup final.
The Reds’ performance was a far cry from their dominant show-outs in the Premier League this season, as they exited their second cup competition in a week, following their penalty shootout defeat by PSG in the Champions League last-16 on Tuesday.
Despite controlling 66 per cent of possession, Liverpool forged just seven shots compared to Newcastle’s 17, as Eddie Howe’s side pounced on their opponent’s poor showing in midfield.
Mail Sport columnist Martin Keown wrote on Saturday that the final will be decided by Newcastle’s two midfield mammoths – Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes – and this was certainly the case.
Liverpool’s often reliable midfield duo of Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis MacAllister looked overwhelmed. Despite Slot’s attempts to switch it up in the middle of the park, Neville lamented his failures as Liverpool chased a two-goal deficit for a large portion of the second half.
‘If anything, Liverpool are getting worse,’ Neville argued after Curtis Jones, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo were introduced off the bench.
Gary Neville blasted Arne Slot’s tactical approach in Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat by Newcastle
Liverpool managed just seven shots to Newcastle’s 17 despite holding 66 per cent possession
The Reds were bounced out of their second cup competition in a week after exiting the Champions League on Tuesday at the hands of PSG
‘The substitutes haven’t helped them. The midfield is scattered. There are gaps everywhere.’
Later on, Neville accused Slot of ‘throwing shape out of the window’ in search of a route back into the match.
The Dutchman brought on Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa for Gravenberch and Luis Diaz in the 74th minute. The substitutes linked up to pull one back for Liverpool in the 94th minute, but it was too little too late for the Premier League leaders.
Dan Burn opened the scoring for Newcastle with a header from no less than 15 yards out, following Kieran Trippier’s corner minutes before half-time.
The 6ft 5in centre back climbed high to nod the ball into the bottom left corner and sent thousands of Newcastle fans – including the presenters – into frenzy.
Burn’s goal means that he has scored more non-penalty goals in cup finals than Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah – the Egyptian King is yet to manage such a feat despite being one of Europe’s form players this season.
Alexander Isak, Newcastle’s top goalscorer this season, doubled his side’s fortunes on the other end of half-time to put them two up, but there were a nervy few moments when Fererico Chiesa halved the deficit with a few minutes left.
However, Newcastle managed to see out the final minutes of the game to win their first piece of domestic silverware since the 1955 FA Cup, ending a 70-year drought.
