Paul Merson has admitted that he’s revised his stance on the Carabao Cup final in the days leading up to the Wembley showpiece between Liverpool and Newcastle.
The Reds and the Magpies will contest the first major silverware of the English club season in north London on Sunday, with the Merseysiders aiming to win the trophy for the third time in four years (and the 11th overall) and the Geordies hoping for a maiden triumph in this competition.
Arne Slot’s side won 2-0 when the teams met at Anfield in the Premier League a fortnight ago, but they go into this weekend’s match off the back of a physically and emotionally draining defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday (after extra time and penalties) which saw them crash out of the Champions League.
Merson gives Carabao Cup final prediction
Merson has given his prediction for the final to Sportskeeda, and while he’s still backing Liverpool to come away with the trophy, he now expects it to be a far tighter affair than what he’d previously anticipated.
The pundit wrote: “I’m someone who always gives teams a chance in games, but I didn’t give that to Newcastle in this fixture a few weeks ago! Now I think they have a chance, though.
“I think this game will end 1-1 and go to penalties. If I had to pick a side to win on penalties, I’d choose Liverpool. I’m not only saying that because I know Liverpool will turn up for this game and I can’t say the same for Newcastle!
“Liverpool have been in this situation before and they know their way around finals. Newcastle, on the other hand, will have a few nerves to handle if the game goes deep like I expect it to.
“I guess it all comes down to whether Newcastle can turn up for this clash knowing and believing they’ve got every chance of beating Liverpool.”
Will Liverpool have to win it the hard way yet again?
Merson’s prediction for the Carabao Cup final to go the maximum distance on Sunday seems quite plausible, juding by the teams’ previous meetings this season and a curious sequence when it comes to Liverpool in this competition.
Although Slot’s side were full value for their 2-0 win over Newcastle at Anfield last month, the teams played out a rollercoaster 3-3 draw in the reverse fixture at St James’ Park in December, so there’s unlikely to be a whole lot to choose between them unless either simply doesn’t perform on the day.
Also, the Reds’ last five finals in this tournament have all gone to extra time (and three have been settled on penalties). Not since the 2-0 victory over Manchester United in 2003 have we settled a League Cup final inside 90 minutes.
Newcastle might feel that they’re getting Liverpool at a good time after our agonising defeat to PSG on Tuesday, which saw Trent Alexander-Arnold incur an injury which rules him out of a second successive Carabao Cup final.
However, on three of the four previous occasions that the Reds lost a match this season, they bounced back immediately to win their next game, and the other instance was a draw, so Slot’s team have shown that they can quickly put defeats to one side rather than allowing a rot to set in.
Whatever way it comes, we just hope that Merson’s prediction of Virgil van Dijk lifting the trophy on Sunday turns out to be accurate!
