Liverpool v Newcastle - as it happened

Players have taken the field, here we goooooooooo!

On then bench for Eddie Howe's side: Dubravka, Wilson, Targett, Krafth, Osula, Willock, Longstaff, Miley, Neave.

Newcastle's starting XI (4-3-3): Pope (GK); Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Barnes.

And now for the Magpies...

On the bench for Arne Slot's side: Alisson, Endo, Nunez, Chiesa, Jones, Gakpo, Elliott, Tsimikas, McConnell.

Liverpool's starting XI (4-3-3): Kelleher (GK); Quansah, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Jota, Diaz.

Confirmed lineups are out!! Let's see what Liverpool are saying...

Newcastle's possible starting XI (4-3-3): Pope (GK); Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Barnes.

Liverpool's possible starting XI (4-2-3-1): Alisson (GK); Quansah, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Diaz.

With that all settled, let's have a look at the possible lineups!

Elsewhere in the squad, Lewis Hall is missing for the remainder of the campaign and will be replaced by one of Tino Livramento or Kieran Trippier, while Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman are absent in the heart of defence.

As for the Magpies, four key players will be out for the trip to the English capital, with Anthony Gordon the most devastating absentee. The winger is unavailable through suspension after being shown a red card in the FA Cup fifth round defeat to Brighton.

Jarell Quansah, Wataru Endo and even Curtis Jones will be considered for the role against Newcastle - Slot suggesting the latter can operate there during his pre-match press conference - while there's also the possibility that Kostas Tsimikas or Andy Robertson fill the void. There's also likely to be a recall for Cody Gakpo after he came off the bench against PSG midweek.

Tyler Morton, currently sidelined with a shoulder injury, is Liverpool's only other guaranteed absentee. Ibrahima Konate is also a doubt after sustaining a knock against PSG but is expected to feature after Slot played down the season for his substitution to "tiredness".

Trent Alexander-Arnold will be a significant absentee for the Reds after he sustained an ankle injury in Tuesday's defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. Slot has confirmed that he's unavailable for the final and with Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez also sidelined, Liverpool have a dilemma at right-back.

Here's how the situation in terms of team news and inuries is looking...

With the weight of history against them, Howe has urged his players to embrace the chance to become Newcastle legends by ending their trophy drought. "We want to break that wait for a trophy. It's not a negative, he said. "We're trying to look at it the other way round, it's the chance to make history and be remembered positively."

The Magpies' last significant domestic prize was the 1955 FA Cup and they have lost a combined five finals in that competition and the Carabao Cup since then. They have never won the Carabao Cup, most recently losing the 2023 final against Manchester United.

Newcastle have been transformed from relegation candidates to contenders for silverware, with a Champions League appearance in 2023-24 underlining their revival. However, Newcastle are still waiting to win their first major trophy since the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup - the predecessor to the Europa League.

Aside from a brief period when Kevin Keegan's team challenged for the title in the 1990s, Newcastle have endured decades of underachievement and self-inflicted wounds that rendered them a laughing stock for long periods. All that changed in 2021 when a Saudi-backed consortium completed a takeover from unpopular owner Mike Ashley and quickly made the decision to hire Eddie Howe as their manager.

Liverpool head coach Slot, who will be making his first ever visit to Wembley, hopes the Reds can recover quickly from having their treble bid shattered by Paris Saint-Germain. "It's a great occasion to be in and especially after losing against Paris Saint-Germain. It's maybe the perfect game," he said.

It was a rare blow in what has been a successful first season in charge for Slot, who arrived from Feyenoord to succeed Jurgen Klopp last year. Sitting 15 points clear at the top of the Premier League, the Reds are within touching distance of a record-equalling 20th English title and their first since 2020.

In the first final of the English domestic season, runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool head to Wembley aiming to erase the bitter taste of their Champions League exit against PSG on Tuesday. The Reds were beaten 4-1 on penalties by PSG in the last 16 second leg at Anfield.