There are two teams contesting today's Carabao Cup final, but you wouldn't have guessed it wandering through the streets of London on Saturday night.

This was a true Toon takeover, Trafalgar Square black and white for the night and songs from St James' echoing around the capital.

Just over 30,000 Newcastle fans will be at Wembley today but more than double that must have been knocking around London last night. The black and white of Newcastle was everywhere.

And all of those who'd made the trip, as you can imagine, were in good spirits. Fans young and old gathered in Trafalgar Square: groups of mates and families. They were joined by Mehrdad Ghodoussi and Jamie Reuben. Their hoods were up, presumably to avoid being recognised, but their decision to post a selfie on Twitter meant there was no chance of that.

Chants were belted out as cans were sunk. All the greatest hits from the stands sang on the streets.

At the end of the night there was a clean-up mission, selfless supporters helping to clear the area. Come Sunday morning, there'll have been little evidence in Trafalgar Square as to what had gone on the night before, though sore heads will no doubt be nursed in hotel rooms across the capital.

And so it's to Wembley. Thousands more Newcastle fans will be making the trip south on Sunday morning to join those who've made a weekend of it. It's a weekend that will live long in the memory of those present regardless of the outcome on Sunday afternoon, though as Dan Burn has pointed out this week, Newcastle aren't treating this as a day out. It's business. A game to win. Dreams to become reality.

The squad flew to London on Saturday afternoon, Eddie Howe keen to stick to the normal pre-match routine. But this isn't a normal weekend or a normal game. Just ask those who've spent the full weekend in London. And just imagine the scenes of celebration if Newcastle's long wait for a trophy ends today.