MatchCarabao Cup final: The key stats to know ahead of Liverpool v Newcastle United

Liverpool take on Newcastle United at Wembley on Sunday afternoon (4.30pm GMT kick-off) in search of their second consecutive triumph in the competition's showpiece.

Opta and club statistician Ged Rea have provided a raft of stats to preview the occasion…

• Carabao Cup final: Go to LFCTV GO for exclusive pre-match build-up, live audio commentary of the game and the full match replay

Liverpool are participating in their 15th League Cup final (five more than any other club) and they have won the trophy 10 times (two more than anyone else).

The two clubs have faced each other in a domestic cup final once before, with Liverpool winning the 1974 FA Cup final 3-0.

The Reds have won 18 domestic English cup trophies (10 League Cups, eight FA Cups) and could equal Manchester United's haul of 19 if they are victorious.

On the last four occasions the holders of the League Cup have reached the final, they have lifted the trophy – Manchester United in 2009-10 and Manchester City in 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Liverpool are unbeaten in their last seven games at Wembley in all competitions since a 4-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League back in October 2017.

Of the Reds' 10 League Cup final victories, only two have come inside 90 minutes (Bolton Wanderers in 1995 and Manchester United in 2003).

Liverpool are the first side to reach the final in consecutive seasons under a different boss since Spurs in 2008 and 2009.

Arne Slot can become the first Reds boss since Joe Fagan in 1984 to win the League Cup in his first season in charge.

This will be Slot's fourth final in charge of a team, with all three previous games ending 1-0 when he was in the dugout for Feyenoord.

Since making his Carabao Cup debut in September 2023, Cody Gakpo has scored nine goals in 11 appearances in the competition (five more than any other player). His five goals in 2024-25 are the most by a Reds player in a single League Cup campaign since Robbie Fowler netted six in 2000-01.

Mohamed Salah has been directly involved in 18 goals in 16 appearances against Newcastle for Liverpool in all competitions (10 goals, eight assists). Only against Manchester United (22) and Manchester City (21) has he been involved in more.

Eleven of the Reds' last 15 goals versus Newcastle have been either scored (four) or assisted (seven) by Salah.

Diogo Jota has netted five goals across his last five starts in the Carabao Cup.

Liverpool have used 27 players in this competition this season, with Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister, Darwin Nunez and Jarell Quansah playing in all five matches. Only Gakpo has started them all.

Virgil van Dijk was voted Player of the Match in the 2022 and 2024 Carabao Cup finals. No player has ever earned the honour on three occasions.

Caoimhin Kelleher has saved more penalties for the Reds in shootouts (six) than any other goalkeeper in the club's history. He has been on the winning team in all four of his shootouts.

Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 17 games against Newcastle since a 2-0 loss at St. James' Park in December 2015. Only against Norwich City (19) are they currently enjoying a longer run without defeat.

Newcastle's last major domestic trophy win was the 1955 FA Cup, beating Manchester City 3-1 at Wembley.

This is their third appearance in the League Cup final, losing the other two in 1976 (v Manchester City) and 2023 (v Manchester United).

The Magpies have conceded more than one goal in just one of their last 22 Carabao Cup fixtures (13 clean sheets), with that coming in the 2023 final defeat.

Eleven of the players that played in that encounter with United at Wembley are still at St. James' Park.

Alexander Isak has had a hand in four goals across his five appearances against Liverpool (three goals, one assist – all in the Premier League).

Newcastle have only failed to score in two of their last 22 matches – league defeats at Manchester City and Liverpool.