Carabao Cup final: Live on Showmax Premier League

This weekend, South African football fans are in for a treat as Showmax Premier League brings you the highly anticipated Carabao Cup final between Liverpool and Newcastle United live.

Don't miss a moment of the action as these two Premier League giants battle it out for coveted silverware.

The game, which takes place on Sunday, 16 March at 18:30 and will be shown live on Showmax Premier League, isn't just another cup final; it's a clash of history and ambition.

Liverpool, with their storied legacy, take on a resurgent Newcastle United, hungry for their first major trophy in decades.

The atmosphere at Wembley Stadium in London is set to be electric, and Showmax Premier League is your front-row seat to all the drama.

The rivalry between Liverpool and Newcastle United has produced some memorable moments over the years.

From dramatic comebacks to stunning goals, these two teams have a history of delivering thrilling encounters.

Historically, Liverpool holds the stronger record against Newcastle, and will be determined to win back-to-back Carabao Cup trophies, but as any football fan knows, past results mean little on cup final day.
Every tackle, every pass, and every shot will be crucial as both teams fight for victory.

Ahead of the game, Showmax Premier League ambassador and legendary sportscaster, Robert Marawa, has given his view on the mouthwatering final, with Marawa expecting a thrilling encounter.

"This Carabao Cup final is a must-watch for any football fan in South Africa," says Marawa. "The passion, the intensity, and the stakes are incredibly high. Showmax Premier League is bringing you the best seat in the house to witness this historic clash."

Marawa says the final is expected to be an intense encounter between the two Premier League clubs. “Well it’s certainly intriguing for many different reasons, but I’ll start off with Newcastle. They should have a level of continuity from the sider that played and won against West Ham. I’m looking at Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy being available as the attacking options alongside Alexander Isak, who seems to have worked his way back to fitness which is great to see. He played a solid 79 minutes over the weekend. He is the ever-present danger for Newcastle."

“He remains the danger man for them as the third top goal scorer in the Premier League this season. He has scored 19 goals and provided five assists. Only Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland sit above him in the goal scoring charts.”

He says Alisson Becker's fine form against Paris Saint Germain over the two legs in the UEFA Champions League makes him one of the Reds' most important players going into the final.

“A quick peak into the Liverpool team, and the focus on that team has been solely on goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who has been in superb form, especially in the first leg against Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League. PSG had 71 percent ball possession, 27 goal attempts, and 10 shots on goal, but still couldn’t score, simply because of Alisson’s heroics. So somebody who provides 16 saves over two legs is doing more than just ordinary work, and he has definitely been Liverpool’s hero.

“They know, however, that in a cup final, it’s not so much about saves but about who gets to score the goals.”

Marawa says Liverpool’s number nine, Darwin Nunez, could possibly lead the line come Sunday, but they will miss the absence of their attacking right back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has picked up an ankle injury.

“The question is, how many options do Liverpool have in terms of who can provide goals on the day? The bad news is the looming absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who picked up an ankle injury against PSG this week. The injury doesn’t seem serious, but it’s been deemed serious enough not to risk it for the cup final. There is also no Conor Bradley, and no Joe Gomez, so the options are limited.

“However, the presence of Jarrell Quansah should be good enough. Quansah had a great game when he was introduced against PSG this week and has earned that starting birth. The big one for Liverpool manager Arne Slot, though, is whether he starts Darwin Nunez or not.

“We have all witnessed the love-hate relationship Slot has with Nunez. So can the Uruguayan be the hero, the man who provides the winning goal that makes everyone including himself forget about the penalty miss?”

Marawa is expecting a tough encounter for the league leaders.

“With Newcastle, we all know Eddie Howe is a very capable manager, and he will be desperate for a trophy having lost out in the Carabao Cup to Man United in the 2023 final. Newcastle have a chance of making history all over again."

“It is an intriguing tie, and this time I am not putting my neck on the block, but all I can say is that we are in for a very exciting final.”

He says there could also be a surprise shake up of Liverpool’s front line.

“Liverpool may choose to spring a surprise or two in attack, with Harvey Elliott a possible starter. They may want to shake things up in the front and Elliott may be the man to do it. We are in for a glorious afternoon at Wembley Stadium.”

Don't miss the action!

Showmax Premier League brings you all the live action from the Carabao Cup final. With high-quality streaming and expert commentary, you'll feel like you're right in the heart of Wembley Stadium.

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