Newcastle League Cup hero Dan Burn: I feel like I’m dreaming

Defender caps a memorable week with goal in final against Liverpool as Magpies end long wait for a trophy

Newcastle defender Dan Burn celebrates with the League Cup trophy. AFP

Dan Burn said he felt like he was living in a dream after a fairytale week culminated in him scoring the goal that ended Newcastle United's 70-year wait for a domestic trophy.

Burn's towering header just before half time gave Newcastle the lead against Liverpool in Sunday's League Cup final before a sharp finish from Alexander Isak sent the Toon Army at Wembley into raptures.

Federico Chiesa pulled one back for Liverpool to set up a nerve-racking finish but Newcastle held on to claim their first major domestic trophy since winning the 1955 FA Cup final and a first major prize since claiming the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

It capped a memorable week for Newcastle defender Burn, who was named in Thomas Tuchel's first England squad on Friday.

The 32-year-old centre-back's first international call-up comes after a well-travelled journeyman career featuring permanent and loan spells at Darlington, Yeovil, Birmingham and Wigan before his breakthrough at Brighton and eventual move to Newcastle in 2022.

Born just 27 miles away from Newcastle in Blyth, Burn is the quintessential local hero, but even he can't quite believe his fairytale story.

"I've had worse weeks. I don't want to go to sleep because I feel like I'm dreaming and it's all going to be a lie," he said.

"I feel strange, I feel numb at the minute."

Newcastle United players lift the League Cup after defeating Liverpool in the final at the Wembley Stadium. Reuters

Newcastle's Alexander Isak celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the League Cup final against Liverpool at the Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday, March 16, 2025. AP

Liverpool's Jarell Quansah and Curtis Jones after losing the League Cup final on Sunday. AP

Alexander Isak celebrates scoring his team's second goal as Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool looks dejected. Getty Images

Newcastle United's Dan Burn celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal of the League Cup final. AFP

Caoimhin Kelleher of Liverpool fails to make a save as Dan Burn scores the first goal at the Wembley Stadium. Getty Images

Liverpool's manager Arne Slot at the Wembley Stadium. AFP

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool during the League Cup final. EPA

Burn benefitted from Liverpool's bizarre decision to deploy Alexis Mac Allister up against the giant frame of Burn at set-pieces in a complete mismatch, allowing the latter to score from Kieran Trippier's corner.

"I knew Alexis Mac Allister wasn't looking at the ball and I'd be able to get a jump on him. I don't get many so I saved it for a big occasion," he said.

But the celebrations might be slightly more muted for Burn than some of his Newcastle teammates as he has to meet up with his new England teammates on Monday morning.

"Tomorrow morning. I'll be first there tomorrow at 8 o'clock!" he said.

Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes said the victory was the "best day of my life" and dedicated it to the club's legion of raucous supporters.

"It's all for these fans," Guimaraes told Sky Sports. "They deserve everything. When I first came here I said I wanted to put my name in history.

"We can now say we are the champions again. This is one of the best days of my life."

Sweden striker Isak hopes the Wembley triumph can be the springboard for sustained Newcastle success after decades of underachievement.

"This is really just the start," he said. "We will see more from the fans and what it means for the people when we get back to Newcastle. We are all aware of how long it's been for the fans without a trophy.

"When you've been without a trophy for so long it can be in the back of your head but hopefully now we have won this it is bright days in front of us."

Liverpool boss Arne Slot was defiant after his side ended a miserable week that also saw them crash out of the Uefa Champions League, switching the focus to the team's Premier League charge.

The painful 2-1 loss at Wembley comes four days after the Reds exited the Champions League on penalties against Paris Saint-Germain, giving a sense of anti-climax even though they are almost certain to be crowned league champions.

Liverpool, hot favourites to match Manchester United's record of 20 English top-flight titles, are 12 points clear of second-placed Arsenal at the top of the Premier League with just nine matches to go.

Slot was asked after the match how he would ensure the defeat would not have a knock-on effect for the rest of the season.

"We are here in one of the biggest clubs in the world, Liverpool, but it's not for the first time in their history or in the last two seasons that they've lost two games in a row," said Slot.

"This is part of playing football, especially if one of them is when you face the best team in Europe at the moment and the other one is facing Newcastle, which is a very strong team in England."

Slot admitted it had been a "tough week" but pointed out that his side had extended their lead in the Premier League.

"I want to make clear one more time that the week started off really well by us beating Southampton," he said. "That's why we extended our lead to 12 points with nine games to go [the situation after Arsenal's 1-0 against Chelsea on Sunday].

"And, yeah, you know if you go far in tournaments that the opposition in your face gets stronger and stronger and that you can lose. Even Liverpool can lose football games. That's what can happen."