Liverpool

As it stands, Mohamed Salah's contract at Liverpool is due to run out at the end of the season, so Sunday's defeat in the EFL Cup final could be his last Wembley appearance for the Reds.

But, should he choose not to stay at Anfield, his time at the club could still end with a trophy.

Liverpool have nine Premier League fixtures remaining and need 16 points to cement themselves as English champions for a record-equalling 20th time:

• Everton (h)
• Fulham (a)
• West Ham (h)
• Leicester (a)
• Tottenham (h)
• Chelsea (a)
• Arsenal (h)
• Brighton (a)
• Crystal Palace (h)

Image source, Getty Images

We say uncharacteristic because Mohamed Salah has had an otherwise stunning season, scoring 32 goals in 43 appearances in all competitions.

But the 32-year-old Egyptian forward has struggled to impose himself in cup finals before.

In 11 finals he has played for Liverpool and Egypt, Salah has failed to register a goal from open play:

• 2017 AFCON - 90 minutes, one assist
• 2018 Champions League - 31 minutes, 0 G/A
• 2019 Champions League - 90 minutes, one penalty goal
• 2019 Super Cup - 120 minutes, 0 G/A
• 2019 Club World Cup - 120 minutes, 0 G/A
• 2021 AFCON - 120 minutes, 0 G/A
• 2022 Community Shield - 120 minutes one penalty goal & one assist
• 2022 FA Cup - 33 minutes, 0 G/A
• 2022 Champions League - 90 minutes, 0 G/A
• 2022 EFL Cup - 120 minutes, 0 G/A
• 2025 EFL Cup - 90 minutes, 0 G/A

Liverpool

One of the truly shocking aspects of Liverpool's below-par display in Sunday's EFL Cup final defeat to Newcastle was Mohamed Salah's uncharacteristic performance.

If you were watching the game and felt like he was hardly involved, that's because that's kind of the truth.

The Liverpool forward had just 23 touches on the day - the least by far out of any player that completed 90 minutes.

And, brace yourself for this staggering fact...

According to Opta, for the first time in his Liverpool career, he neither attempted a shot nor created a chance in a match where he played 90+ minutes.

Stephen Warnock
Former Liverpool defender on the Football Daily podcast

Newcastle smothered Liverpool and made it difficult for them.

After the week Liverpool have had, I wonder if Arne Slot might look back and think one of the biggest lessons was not making more changes for the Southampton game.

They were 13 points clear going into that game and they made just three changes. Would he have made more looking back now? The league will take care of itself over the course of time and they are still good enough to see it through, but this Liverpool team looked tired at Wembley.

But credit to Newcastle because they preyed on that and made the most of it.

Liverpool

How and when Liverpool went out of this season's cup competitions:

9 Feb: Lost 1-0 at Championship side Plymouth in the fourth round of the FA Cup

11 Mar: Beaten 4-1 on penalties by Paris St-Germain at Anfield in the last-16 of the Champions League

16 Mar: Downed 2-1 by Newcastle at Wembley in the EFL Cup final.

Image source, Getty Images

While some Newcastle fans have admitted to feeling conflicted yesterday, there will have been many Liverpool supporters who shared a similar feeling, but for very different reasons.

Arne Slot has led the Reds to the brink of a first Premier League title in five years in his first season in charge.

But while they will be hoping to capitalise on their 12-point lead to win the league, a possible hat-trick of cup victories have gone begging over the past month...

John Hird, a founder of Newcastle supporters group NUFCFAS, also reflected on the Magpies' EFL Cup victory with his own personal statement.

“I was born a Toon fan," he said. "I remember my dad crying his eyes out after he came back from the Fairs Cup win in 1969. I still have the scrap book of the cup run he made me.

"I and many other Newcastle fans were fans long before the Saudis took over the club.

"We’ll still be fans long after they’ve been forced out and we will have stayed true to our values and working-class traditions of solidarity."

Image source, Getty Images

Anyone who watched coverage of Sunday's EFL Cup final will have seen images of the man above with the trophy, mixing with Newcastle players and staff during post-match celebrations on the Wembley turf.

He is Newcastle chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan - the governor of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia, which took over the club in 2021.

Newcastle United supporters' group NUFCFAS issued a statement today raising questions about the club's ownership.

It read: "At the final we had the spectacle of Yasir al-Rumayyan holding the Carabao Cup aloft. Due to lack of scrutiny by the media, most fans will be unaware that the Newcastle United chairman is also a sitting Saudi minster and a right-hand man of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

"Fans of other clubs, while happy for our fans for winning our first domestic trophy in 70 years, are also pointing out that it comes at a price.

"We know that it should be a great day for the city of Newcastle and many will feel that way but for us it is unfortunately tainted by the ownership of the club.

"When we see the chairman celebrating with the trophy, it is very difficult to separate the success of the club from the ownership."

So many Newcastle fans have had a story to tell today, but a good number have also issued a note of caution about the club's current ownership.

Coming up is a statement from supporters group NUFCFAS...

Surely it is important as a football fan to keep believing, even when a supercomputer only gives you 0.7% chance.

Take our next Newcastle correspondent for example, who thought all his 58 birthdays had come at once on Sunday...

The Premier League's relegation battle is seemingly not a battle and its about who finishes 18th and 19th - since Southampton have essentially sealed their fate as the worst team in the league.

Opta's supercomputer laid out which clubs have the chance to stay up and the probability of them doing it -

• Southampton - 0.0%
• Leicester City - 0.5%
• Ipswich - 0.7%
• Wolves - 98.8%

Wolves are currently nine points ahead of Ipswich and Leicester City with nine games left to play.

We see what you did there Richard. Good night was it?

Newcastle fans waking up to a brave new world, with silverware in the trophy cabinet at long last, will be glad to know that they remain well placed for Champions League qualification.

That's Opta talking, not us.

Let's take a look at what the supercomputer is saying about clubs' chances of finishing in a Champions League spot:

• Nottingham Forest (currently 3rd) - 85.6%
• Manchester City (5th) - 78.8%
• Newcastle United (6th) - 52.8%
• Chelsea (4th) 48.3%

With Liverpool leading Arsenal by 12 points, Opta's supercomputer says that the North London side have a 1% chance of winning the league, with nine matches of the season remaining.

Image source, Newcastle fans

Image source, Newcastle fans

Surely that should have been foggy heads on the Tyne this morning lads?

Ben has gone for a well-earned rest, lie down, walkies, whatever you want to call it.

I can't take credit for the avalanche of Newcastle-supporting pets that have dominated today's live page so far. That's all Ben.

You will be glad to know that he isn't in the doghouse, just getting a bit of refreshment before returning for a final stint.

Keep those pics and messages coming in, ready for Ben's return.

Thanks.

With the top half already discussed, let's have a look at the bottom half of the Premier League table with some heavy hitters having poor campaigns.

• Despite sitting 14th in the table, Tottenham Hotspur have the sixth-best goal difference in the league.
• Southampton have one win since 2 November, 2024.
• Leicester City and Ipswich last won in the Premier League in December last year.
• Brentford have the sixth-best attack in the league with 50 goals.

With no club football for two weeks, let's take a look at the Premier League table.

• Liverpool - holding a 12-point lead - could potentially seal the title on May 3rd with a win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. This is if Arsenal and The Reds win every game until then. More importantly, this could mean that Arsenal would have to give a guard of honour to Liverpool when they visit Merseyside on 10 May.
• Newcastle United are only seven points off third with a game in hand and have - at the very least - got European football for next season. They will jump to fourth if they win their game in hand.
• Aston Villa are the only side in the top 10 with a negative goal difference. They have conceded 45 goals this season and have the sixth-worst defence in the league.
• Brighton have won four of their last five games in the Premier League, with only Liverpool picking up as many points as them in that period.