Newcastle United spent the week leading up to their Carabao Cup final against Manchester United insisting that they were not thinking about the final, a stark and deliberate refrain. The stakes for their league match against West Ham, however, could not have been clearer. A win would take Newcastle level on points with fifth-placed Manchester City, while a loss could drop them to ninth, leaving them potentially out of European football entirely. The weight of Sunday’s final hung over the game like a thick fog, shaping every decision and action on the pitch. For Newcastle, the match was as much about avoiding distractions as it was about securing three crucial points.
Eddie Howe faced several key decisions ahead of the game, with Anthony Gordon suspended, Lewis Hall injured, and a battle for the starting goalkeeper position unresolved. Nick Pope retained his place in goal, while Tino Livramento moved to left-back to accommodate Kieran Trippier on the right flank. Harvey Barnes, meanwhile, was given the nod over Joe Willock on the left wing. The team selection hinted at Howe’s thinking for the final, though he was careful not to reveal too much. The starting XI against West Ham felt like a sketch on a fogged windowpane—close to the Wembley team but not yet fully clear.
The game itself was a cautious and tense affair, with Newcastle starting on the back foot. An early chance for West Ham’s Tomas Souček flew over the bar, and Newcastle struggled to find rhythm in the first hour. The team played with understandable trepidation, aware that a single mistake could have far-reaching consequences. Despite their best efforts, the performance felt flat, hovering somewhere between the mundane and the anxious. It was as if Newcastle were a band struggling to find their melody, their black and white keys clattering under the pressure.
Bruno Guimaraes was honest about the elephant in the room: Newcastle’s players were thinking about the final. For them, the Carabao Cup represents a chance to make history, akin to a World Cup for a club desperate to break new ground. Sunday’s match against West Ham was a footnote in their larger narrative, a necessary step on the path to Wembley. Despite the lack of flair, Newcastle’s players worked tirelessly to secure the result, driven by a shared ambition to succeed. Nick Pope, under scrutiny for recent errors, had a quietly solid game, while Tino Livramento’s defensive efforts were a highlight, especially as he prepares to face the daunting challenge of Mohamed Salah in the final.
Harvey Barnes, starting his first game in three months after losing his place and overcoming injury, had a mixed but ultimately decisive performance. His goalless first half was followed by a moment of quality in the 63rd minute—a blocked shot, a burst of space, and a perfectly weighted cross that Bruno Guimaraes converted for the winner. Barnes’ audition for a Wembley start seemed to pay off, though Eddie Howe’s praise for him and Livramento was laced with a hint of caution. Howe is known for his subtlety, and his words were likely as much about managing expectations as they were about celebrating his players.
In the end, Newcastle’s 1-0 win over West Ham was far from their best performance, but it was enough. The result brought them a much-needed clean sheet and three vital points, marking the first time in decades that Newcastle have entered a major final on the back of a victory. As they look ahead to Sunday’s showdown with Manchester United, they do so with no new injuries or suspensions and a growing sense of belief. For Newcastle, this is a moment of history in the making—a chance to write a new chapter in their storied past. The final is no longer just a thought; it’s the culmination of everything they’ve worked for.
