On this day, Newcastle played the men, not the moment. That those in red were found wanting, utterly spent from Tuesday night, will barely qualify as a footnote to history on Tyneside, the first major trophy most in Wembley's scarf-aloft West Stand will have seen Newcastle win.

Though Liverpool boss Arne Slot conceded that Eddie Howe's side were deserving winners on the day, the Dutchman claimed that the Magpies' trophy drought did not give his opponents more motivation