Of course, it is impossible to completely escape a city’s feelings and expectations — especially when the club’s all-time leading scorer, Alan Shearer, texts the club captain, Bruno Guimaraes, on the eve of the game. But his message was not one spewing emotion, but a clinical instruction: “Bring that trophy back.”

LONDON -- It didn't take long until the taste for silverware had grasped Eddie Howe. Barely an hour after lifting Newcastle's first major trophy in over half a century, Howe, his hair soaked through with champagne, was already eyeing up further honors to follow his EFL Cup.

After seeing how Arne Slot and his players reacted to their Carabao Cup final defeat to Newcastle, an emotional Eddie Howe praised Liverpool for showing "absolute class" at Wembley. Newcastle finally ended their 70-year domestic trophy drought on Sunday afternoon as goals from Dan Burn and Alexander Isak sealed a historic 2-1 win.