The Magpies were full of confidence following the second leg of the semi-final against Arsenal in February. Fans were on top of the world when they found out they would be returning to Wembley Stadium with renewed confidence that maybe this time they could deliver some silverware back to Tyneside for the first time since 1969.
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Toon boss Eddie Howe is eager to win a trophy for Newcastle and is keen to ensure his side have learned from the mistakes made in the 2023 final where fans were heartbroken by Manchester United.
However, the task became a lot harder after events in the last few days. Newcastle will be without Lewis Hall and Sven Botman after the pair picked up injuries that require surgery. There is no confirmation on whether Botman’s injury will keep him out until the end of the campaign but Hall is confirmed to miss the rest of the season.
Elsewhere, Anthony Gordon was sent off for violent conduct during Newcastle’s defeat to Brighton on Sunday. As well as the Carabao Cup final, Gordon will also miss Monday’s visit to West Ham and the game against Brentford after the international break.
With the Magpies short of bodies in those positions, Howe may now look towards the under-21s for players to step up and take the reins. Here are three players who can do just that.
Cathal Heffernan
While Dan Burn and Fabian Schar will most likely start at Wembley, Howe could look to 19-year-old Cathal Heffernan if anything were to happen to either of them before the final.
Heffernan signed for Newcastle in 2023 from AC Milan and was part of the Magpies’ squad that played in the UEFA Youth League last season. The Irishman has impressed this season playing 18 games in all competitions for the under-21s, including their most recent game against Stoke where they won 4-1.
While Heffernan is right-footed, he has shown signs that he can also play as a left-sided centre-back if need be, meaning he could replace either Schar or Burn.
Howe has already given Heffernan a taste of first-team football, the defender was named in matchday squads throughout pre-season last year. He also featured in Newcastle’s 4-1 win against Urawa Red Diamonds during the Magpies tour of Japan.
Dylan Charlton
While young fullback Leo Shahar could also be considered for a place due to how much he has trained with Newcastle’s first-team squad recently, 18-year-old Dylan Charlton gets the nod as one of Newcastle’s only young left-back options.
Charlton has made the left-back position his own in Newcastle’s under-21s this season, clearly impressing head coach Diarmuid O’Carroll since he replaced Ben Dawson in 2024.
The most likely option for the cup final is that Tino Livramento will play at left-back with Matt Targett on the bench. However, Howe could still look to Charlton for a place on the bench if need be. Like Heffernan, Charlton was within the first-team squad throughout pre-season and was also part of a youthful starting XI that lost 8-0 to the A-League All-Stars last May.
With the left-back position in need of more depth, there is a chance that Charlton could at least be called up to train before the final.
Garang Kuol
While his start to life on Tyneside wasn’t the best, attacker Garang Kuol now looks fully settled and is reaping the benefits of staying with the under-21s this season. Kuol has had two loan spells since joining the Magpies in 2023 but neither were helpful for his progress.
In 2025, Kuol has been an important player for the under-21s and is finally showing his abilities. So far this season, Kuol has scored two goals and bagged two assists in the Premier League 2 this season and has impressed during the young Magpies National League cup campaign.
Kuol impressed Newcastle fans following a fine display in the recent win against Stoke with some calling for him to get his chance in the first team. There’s no doubt that the unbelievable 20-year-old has experience of the big occasions, he was part of Australia’s World Cup squad in 2022 and came up against the likes of Lionel Messi during the tournament.
With Gordon suspended, Howe can look to Harvey Barnes or Joelinton for that position. However, there should be a spot on the bench for Kuol to take in Gordon’s absence.
