Uncharted territory for most Newcastle United fans | OneFootball

How should you react to something that hasn’t happened for 56 years?

Something unseen at Wembley for 70 seasons?

The glib answer is “Party, party, party” and doubtless there was plenty of that last night.

Good luck to all those Newcastle United fans with monumental hangovers today.

Time will heal those, though time will never erase Newcastle United’s name from the record books. Neither will the memories of a wonderful day be forgotten any time soon.

Perhaps we should all simply rejoice. If something’s worth having, it’s worth waiting for.

There had been a growing feeling, since our win at West Ham on Monday and Liverpool’s loss to PSG 24 hours later, that we could defy the odds.

As my friend Big Nige, a survivor from five Wembley defeats going back to 1974, kept saying in the almost interminable hours before the 4.30 kick-off: “This is our time.”

That was an unusual and brave approach from a supporter of a team who, on the rare occasions we reach finals, arrive in poor form or face the best team in the top flight. Sometimes both together, as in 1998 and 1999.

I, too, felt confident. On the walk from Victoria railway station yesterday to a Premier Inn at Paddington Basin, two magpies were pecking at the grass in Hyde Park. Okay, they were about 60 yards apart but there they were, enjoying a sunny but cool morning. Two for joy. Let’s call them Dan and Alex.

The pub where we drank, once the Sunday licensing hours allowed, was just off St John’s Wood High Street, an area frequented by the Beatles in their Abbey Road pomp. It had some lyrics on the windows, notably the chorus from Hey Jude. Or, as it is known at every match United play, Geordies. Na, na na, na na na Na. Another omen.

My biggest fear was that United wouldn’t turn up, would be as docile as we had been against Liverpool in 1974. We couldn’t win the match in the first 20 minutes. We could lose it.

How ridiculous that thought seems now, seven hours after the end of a game we dominated from the start.

Liverpool conceded the first three free-kicks as they tried to contain our powerhouse. We were quicker than them in thought and deed.

Many writers and pundits are saying they “didn’t turn up”. Nonsense. They turned up all right, their problem was they were outplayed.

Every United starter deserved at least 7/10, as did the substitutes. Big Dan Burn was rightly named man of the match but nobody would have been surprised if the award had gone to Trippier, Livramento, Tonali, Joelinton or Guimaraes.

As for our opponents, Virgil van Dijk was excellent but I would not give any other Red more than a six. Salah and Jota were notably ineffective.

VVD should also be praised for having the good grace to congratulate each United player during the wait for the medal presentations.

Two seasons ago, when we didn’t get the breaks against Man Utd, our fans stayed to the bitter end. We stood and applauded even after many of the winning supporters headed off. I guess decades of practice have taught us how to lose with a bit of dignity.

What happened at the final whistle last night shocked me. Quite a few spaces had been visible in the Liverpool sectors before stoppage time started. Those small gaps became a sea of empty seats quicker than water pours out of a bucket riddled with holes.

If United are ever in the happy position of playing Wembley finals as frequently as Liverpool have since the Seventies, I hope our fans will stay and applaud, win or lose.

Their players did their best; they were simply beaten by the better team on the day.

From my view only four rows below the roof, in line with the right-wing corner flag we attacked in the second half,

Trippier had his best game since the nightmare he endured at Stamford Bridge in last season’s League Cup.

Livramento, playing out of position, was assured and dynamic in equal measure. The left-footed cross he delivered perfectly to Murphy, beyond the far post allowed our enigma to lay on yet another assist for Isak. Gimme, gimme, gimme a striker from Sweden!

Pope repelled everything Liverpool threw in his direction until the 95th minute, when they scored with their second and last shot on target.

Our central trio covered almost every blade of turf. On this form, they are the best midfield in the Premier League.

Barnes did more on his own than Liverpool’s wide players managed in total. He also showed he can cross the ball effectively with either foot.

Schar was composed on the ball, won plenty of challenges and moved forward smoothly when given the space.

Isak ran himself into the ground and on another day would have bagged a hat-trick.