Jamie Carragher called Eddie Howe “the real deal” after he led Newcastle to their first major domestic trophy for 70 years.
A towering header from boyhood Newcastle fan Dan Burn just before the break and a sublime finish from talisman Alexander Isak in the Carabao Cup final put Toon on course for a 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Wembley that generations had longed for.
It was also a first major trophy for Howe, who became the first homegrown manager to win one of English football’s major trophies in almost 17 years.
Carragher said: “He’s done a brilliant job. I think he is the real deal.
“It’s not ideal that the England squad does not have an English manager. When the job became available, I said Eddie Howe was the best option. If the FA appointed him, he probably wouldn’t be doing this today! (SkySports)