Sky Sports and ITV have been slammed after issuing an apology just minutes into the Carabao Cup final between Liverpool and Newcastle.

Arne Slot’s side took on the Magpies in the showpiece event at Wembley for the chance to win the first piece of major silverware this season.

Ahead of kick-off, the television cameras focused in on the Liverpool team huddle on the pitch as Reds captain Virgil van Dijk gave a rousing speech to his team-mates.



Let’s f***ing do this.”

Sky Sports and ITV forced to apologise just moments into Carabao Cup final	Alan Shearer text 'would have shut down ITV and Sky Sports' during Carabao Cup final	Sky Sports issue instant apology after Virgil van Dijk Liverpool comments in Carabao Cup final

Sky Sports and ITV screened the same Carabao Cup final package, with Peter Drury on commentary duties.

And the 57-year-old told viewers after the match had started: “Apologies if you picked up any bad language during the pent-up moment ahead of kick-off.”

But Match of the Day commentator Guy Mowbray was unhappy that Drury had been forced to apologise after producers had chosen to thrust the cameras into the huddle in the first place.

“If you will put a camera and mic right in the pre kick-off team huddle…..please don’t then make your commentator apologise for ‘any bad language you may have heard,’” Mowbray wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Liverpool were the overwhelming favourites to lift the Carabao Cup trophy ahead of kick-off after enjoying a fine maiden season under Slot.

And before the match, Jurgen Klopp's successor explained: “Unfortunately we were already out of the FA Cup and unfortunately after Tuesday we are out of the Champions League as well, so there are now only two trophies for us to win.

“I think in general the Premier League is the hardest one to win of all of them because it’s 38 games and you have to do so many things well.

“Cups - and even the Champions League - although those are played over two rounds (legs), [they] are easier to win, but still very difficult.

But now it’s nice that we are in the final and having a chance to win our first trophy.”

The Carabao Cup final proved to be an enthralling affair, with Newcastle producing a strong first half performance.

And the Magpies opened the scoring just before the break as defender Dan Burn headed in Kieran Trippier’s corner.

Alexander Isak then doubled his side’s advantage in the early stages of the second half, just seconds after he had a goal chalked off after Bruno Guimaraes had strayed offside.


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