MO SALAH was restricted to just one touch inside the box as Newcastle beat Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.
The forward has been in a rich vein of form this season but his threat was completely nullified at Wembley.
Eddie Howe pulled off a tactical masterclass[/caption]
In fact, Liverpool were as a whole as Arne Slot’s side mustered just two shots on target, one of which was Federico Chiesa’s stoppage time goal.
Despite just 34 per cent possession, Newcastle had 17 shots to Liverpool’s seven as goals from Dan Burn and Alexander Isak either side of half-time earned an historic win.
Eddie Howe pulled off a tactical masterclass that restricted Salah to just 23 touches and 13 passes. Crucially the Egyptian failed to have a shot and had just one touch in the Newcastle penalty box.
That was mostly thanks to the Toon duo of Joelinton and Tino Livramento, who nullified the space down Liverpool’s right flank.
Joelinton’s heat map shows he spent a lot of time on the left, covering the space when Livramento went on the attack to prevent the Liverpool counter-attack – a key weapon for the Reds this season.
Between them Joelinton and Livramento won 13 duels, while it was the latter’s cross that was headed down to Isak to fire in.
Livramento got the better of Jarrell Quansah on more than one occasion and was able to isolate the defender thanks to Harvey Barnes dragging Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch centrally with clever movement.
Barnes was Newcastle’s most advanced player on average across 90 minutes, which ensured Quansah was pinned back and unable to support Salah like Trent Alexander-Arnold so often does.
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That meant Salah was left isolated as he remained high up the pitch without receiving the ball, making it impossible for his side to create chances on goal.
Another adjustment Howe made paid off when Burn rose highest to head in Kieran Trippier’s corner.
It took plenty of skill from the 6ft6 giant but his task was made easier by the fact he did not have to battle Virgil van Dijk or Ibrahima Konate in the air.
Trippier’s back post corner meant Burn could steal in for a free header to score Newcastle’s first Wembley goal in 25 years.
