‘We are breaking new ground’

Newcastle players celebrate winning the EFL Cup after beating Liverpool on Sunday. Pic/Getty Images

Eddie Howe hailed his Newcastle team as they ended 56 "years of hurt" with a 2-1 win against Liverpool in the English League Cup final on Sunday.

Goals from Dan Burn and Alexander Isak put Newcastle in dreamland at Wembley, with Federico Chiesa's strike in the closing minutes coming too late to save the Premier League leaders.

It was Newcastle's first major trophy since the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and their first significant domestic prize since lifting the FA Cup 70 years ago.

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Eddie Howe

After losing the 2023 League Cup to Manchester United, Howe admitted he was ecstatic to finally bring silverware back to St James' Park.

"We knew what was at stake today for all the people here, all the people back in Newcastle and we just wanted to do them proud. We were desperate to try and win the trophy after all the years of hurt. We are breaking new ground, I thought we were just magnificent today," said a jubilant Howe, the first English manager to win a major domestic trophy in England since Harry Redknapp lifted the 2008 FA Cup with Portsmouth.

Sixth-placed Newcastle are 23 points behind leaders Liverpool, but the Magpies bridged the gap with a dynamic display that was a tribute to Howe's astute game-plan.

Howe reserved special praise for local hero Dan Burn who headed in off a corner (45th minute). "We couldn't believe Dan Burn scored. He was a colossus for us," said Howe.

Burn, 32, was overjoyed after scoring and could scarcely believe what he had just witnessed. "I don't want to go to sleep because I feel like I'm dreaming and it's all going to be a lie," said Burn, who also earned a call-up to the England national team a few days earlier.

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