Arguably not since the 1988 FA Cup final have Liverpool failed to show up in a final as they did against Newcastle United at Wembley.
Liverpool got what they deserved and were beaten by a Newcastle side that had the exact player that Arne Slot’s side don’t have – a clinical and threatening centre-forward.
The Reds, who finished the game with all of Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo, Federico Chiesa, Dominik Szoboszlai and Harvey Elliott on the pitch, had just one shot on target in the whole game.
In fact, the Reds’ first shot of any type, and indeed their first touch in the opponent’s box, didn’t arrive until a tame effort from Diogo Jota in first-half stoppage time.
While Salah has set new goalscorer records this season, Liverpool’s other attackers have become increasingly barren. Sometimes the stats don’t lie: Nunez has one goal in 13 appearances (albeit 10 of those were from the bench).
Diaz is without a goal in his last seven games and only one in his last 18 appearances. Jota’s last goal was in mid January, 10 appearances ago.
The stats don’t lie and the need for Liverpool to sign a centre-forward in the summer cannot be clearer. It was underlined at Wembley if it wasn’t already.
Isak, a player Liverpool are said to have an interest in signing and solving their No.9 issues, was everything the Reds were not; a goal threat.
The Swede had the game’s most shots with three, which was more than Liverpool’s three starting forwards combined. He also, of course, scored the match-winning goal.
Arne Slot’s use of the Liverpool squad and a worry for life without Trent Alexander-Arnold
There are, though, mitigating circumstances for the Liverpool attackers named above. Slot has preferred to use the same small group of players, rarely looking to use squad players like Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa – the duo who combined for Liverpool’s late, late consolation goal.
Quite why Elliott and Chiesa have remained on the sidelines while Diaz, Jota and Nunez have toiled through the early months of 2025, only Slot understands.
Admittedly, Chiesa and Elliott have often failed to deliver when given opportunities in Cup games, but they offered more threat in their 16 minutes plus stoppage time than the other four forwards combined. Chiesa touched the ball in Newcastle’s box as many times as Liverpool’s six starting midfielders and attackers combined.
Slot will face criticism for his lack of use of the likes of Elliott and Chiesa, plus Wataru Endo, failing to even use them in a home match against Southampton that sandwiched the two energy-sapping legs against PSG.
Ryan Gravenberch is just 22 years old and has shown the signs of a player who has been over-used this season, starting every league game, while Endo proved himself in every cameo he has been allowed. Why hasn’t Endo started the odd league game to keep Gravenberch at his best?
Salah, meanwhile, made the least touches of any outfield player who started the match. The Egyptian is never quite the same without Trent Alexander-Arnold to combine with and play the creative passes from deep.
Indeed, Liverpool are a very different proposition without their unique right-back who provides the most progressive passes for Slot’s side. Take Liverpool’s second goal against Man City in February.
Salah’s assist for Szoboszlai was good, but the key to the goal was Alexander-Arnold’s superb pass for Salah down the right before it that opened up the defence. Two world-class players combining is hard for any side to stop. It’s a worrying sign for a potential Liverpool with no Alexander-Arnold and/or Salah next season.
Slot sought answers by trying a myriad of options as the game moved away from his side at 2-0, moving Gravenberch to centre-back, throwing on all the forwards and allowing Virgil van Dijk to run around up front for 10 minutes plus stoppage time. It all felt a bit Brendan Rodgers in the FA Cup semi-final in 2015.
17 days without a game now will allow Slot time to assess and re-charge. Still, his players aren’t offered quite luxury with most now set for internationals that many will play another 180 minutes in before Liverpool host Everton on April 2. This Merseyside derby simply must result in a home win to avoid panic setting in.
In the grand scheme of things, in Liverpool’s history and even in the story of this season that should end with a 20th league title to show for it, this result and match will not matter. But the manner of performance and the worrying signs for the future certainly do now.
