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    Loris Karius has chance to resurrect career and write new chapter in Carabao Cup final, claims Newcastle’s Eddie Howe

    NEWCASTLE boss Eddie Howe claims Loris Karius has been handed a dream chance of resurrecting his crumbling career in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.The former Liverpool keeper looks set to start in goal against Manchester United at Wembley after Nick Pope’s red card on Saturday evening.
    Loris Karius is set to start for Newcastle at Wembley on SundayCredit: Getty
    Eddie Howe has backed Loris Karius to impress in the Carabao Cup finalCredit: Getty
    Karius, 29, suffered a nightmare in the 2018 Champions League final against Real Madrid and has not played a competitive game for two years.
    Toon boss Howe said: “It would be a magnificent chance for him to rewrite the story of his career. There’s been loads of stories through the times in football where these things have happened and there’s been a really positive outcome – or not.
    “As soon as it happened (Pope’s red card) there was a feeling of whether there was another page in Karius’ career to write. Who knows what that chapter will look like?
    “That’s the beauty of football. We never know what is going to happen. This unpredictability is what makes it such an amazing thing to watch.”
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    Karius is Newcastle’s No3 keeper but No2 Martin Dubravka misses the final as he is Cup tied, having played on loan at Man Utd this season.
    German keeper Karius, who spent last year frozen out at Liverpool, received an urgent phone call from Howe on Saturday night following Pope’s dismissal in the 2-0 loss at home to Liverpool.
    Karius was in Milan with his girlfriend until Monday but was back training with the squad on Tuesday, along with No4 keeper Mark Gillespie.
    Howe said: “I had a chat with Loris on Saturday night. I felt the need to connect with him and speak with him. He was great, very relaxed. That’s the kind of guy he is – a very cool customer.
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    “Mark and Loris are fine. They’re part of a goalkeeping unit that is committed to that work every day, since pre-season started, so they’ve done lots of different things within training this season that people wouldn’t have seen. There have been training games and friendlies. They’ve been involved in all of them. They’re match ready.”
    Howe was asked whether he would have done anything differently in hindsight. Knowing his keeper situation, Howe could have started Dubravka against Liverpool on Saturday or maybe not let him go on loan to United.
    The Toon boss said: “I think if you go right back to the start of the season you would do things differently. We don’t have that ability to do so.
    “We’ve ended up in the situation we’re in. As for the Nick Pope sending off, it’s amazing how these things work. That’s how the footballing gods work.”
    Howe also confirmed Newcastle have not appealed against Pope’s red card.
    The former Bournemouth boss said: “We won’t be appealing. We looked at the footage and decided it wouldn’t have had a chance of being successful.
    “We’ve been thrown a challenge here. Nick’s suspended, he’s been a rock for us but I don’t see the group concerned about that. I just see strength.” More

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    Man Utd vs Newcastle: Rashford out for goals as Toon down to third choice keeper – Carabao Cup final TV channel, stream

    NEWCASTLE UNITED are heading to the rebuilt Wembley for the first time as they face Man Utd in the Carabao Cup final.But a string of misfortunes for the Magpies is likely to slightly dampen excitement ahead of a tough clash with the Red Devils.
    Marcus Rashford heads to Wembley in the form of his lifeCredit: EPA
    Newcastle’s third choice goalkeeper Loris Karius is set to be called upon to keep Rashford and co outCredit: Getty
    Despite beating Southampton home and away to qualify for the final, Eddie Howe’s Champions League chasers have gone well off the boil in the Premier League.
    They are now four games without a win and suffered a humbling defeat to Liverpool last weekend.
    But to make matters worse, goalkeeper Nick Pope was sent off in the 2-0 loss to the Reds and will now miss the Wembley final.
    And in a bizarre twist of fate, Newcastle are unable to call on backup goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, as he played for their opponents Man Utd during a loan spell.

    The Slovak was between the sticks for Man Utd’s third round win over Aston Villa and fourth round win over Burnley.
    That means that former Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius is likely to get the nod over Mark Gillespie.
    And he will be desperate to perform better than his last appearance for an English club, where two howlers for Liverpool gifted Real Madrid the Champions League.
    But United talisman Marcus Rashford is in a rich vein of form and will be able to scent blood a mile off if Karius is not up to the task.
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    The England ace has already surpassed his best ever goal tally for a season, with three months still to play.
    Therefore the onus at Wembley will be on Newcastle’s normally-reliable backline of Dan Burn, Fabian Schar, Sven Botman and Kieran Trippier to provide Karius with extra protection.
    What time does Man Utd vs Newcastle kick off?

    The Carabao Cup final will be held on Sunday, February 26.
    Kick-off is at 4.30pm.
    It takes place at Wembley Stadium.
    Last time the sides met, Newcastle ground out a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford back in October.

    What TV channel is Man Utd vs Newcastle on and can I live stream it?

    The Carabao Cup final is live on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event.
    Coverage commences at 3pm on Sky Sports Football and 3.30pm on Main Event.
    To stream the game live, head to Sky Go or get a Now TV Day Pass.

    Latest odds
    To win in 90 minutes
    Man Utd 23/20
    Draw 23/10
    Newcastle 23/10
    To win the Carabao Cup
    Man Utd 13/20
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    Newcastle 5/4
    Odds from Betfair correct as of Tuesday, February 21 More

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    Newcastle fans hatch wild plan to try and allow suspended Nick Pope to play in Carabao Cup final

    NEWCASTLE fans have hatched a wild plan that would allow Nick Pope to play in the Carabao Cup final. The goalkeeper was sent off in the Toon’s loss to Liverpool in the Premier League, meaning he is suspended for the clash with Manchester United at Wembley.
    Nick Pope handled the ball outside the area in Newcastle’s last game and received a red cardCredit: Reuters
    Loris Karius is set to play in the Carabao Cup finalCredit: Getty
    Second choice stopper Martin Dubravka can also not play as he is cup tied having represented the Red Devils earlier on in the competition while on loan at Old Trafford.
    Additionally, Karl Darlow is at Hull until the end of the season, so manager Eddie Howe has to select Loris Karius or Mark Gillespie as the club go for their first major trophy since 1954/55.
    Karius is best known for his horror mistakes while at Liverpool in the Champions League final in 2018 and he has not yet played for Newcastle.
    Meanwhile, Gillespie has only ever featured three times for the club and has not stood between the sticks since 2020.
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    Therefore, Newcastle fans have come up with a creative and bonkers idea to get Pope to play.
    Some desperate supporters have suggested he gets loaned out to English sixth tier side Blyth Spartans and he serves his suspension there.

    They can still sign players because their league’s transfer window is open until March.
    Blyth Spartans face Telford United on Saturday, which would allow him to miss one match for them, get recalled by Newcastle, and then face Man Utd on Sunday.
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    However, having investigated the rules, this plan would not be allowed as no team can deregister and re-register a player in the same week.
    It’s certainly a unique attempt at finding a way around the rules, which shows fans clearly don’t have much hope in Karius, who is expected to play.
    A member of the Newcastle faithful even photoshopped Pope in a disguise and joked how much the forgotten man Karius has changed since his howlers for Liverpool. More

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    Supercomputer predicts Man Utd’s season – so how likely is quadruple after Paul Scholes’ bold claim?

    PAUL SCHOLES reckons Manchester United can win a quadruple this season.But just how likely is the historic feat for Erik ten Hag’s brave battlers?
    Paul Scholes reckons Man Utd can win a quadruple this seasonCredit: Getty
    Erik ten Hag can land his first trophy in the Carabao Cup on SundayCredit: Getty
    The Dutchman has done a grand job since taking charge at Old Trafford last summer, leading his side to third in the table.
    United are just five points behind Arsenal after comfortably beating Leicester 3-0 at the weekend.
    And they are confident of making strong progress in both the FA Cup and Europa League.
    But Ten Hag can win his first trophy on Sunday when United take on Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final.
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    And Scholes feels victory at Wembley could spark an incredible run ending with United lifting all four trophies.
    However, Bettingexpert’s Supercomputer BETSiE has crunched the numbers and tallied the tables.
    And it reckons United have just a 0.04 per cent chance of getting their hands on the quad.
    In the Premier League, Arsenal still have a game in hand on the Red Devils, while rivals Man City occupy second place.
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    So therefore the odds of United winning their first Premier League title since 2013 is, in the eyes of the Supercomputer, extremely unlikely.
    And the Red Devils are predicted to finish in their current position of third.
    United have also been given very low odds of a Carabao, FA Cup and Europa League treble, with the boffin PC tipping them at just 1.56 per cent.
    However, should their sights be lowered to a double, United have an 8.23 per cent shot at winning the Carabao Cup and Europa League.
    On the European front, they are currently level at 2-2 with Barcelona after the first leg of their Europa League play-off.
    Manchester United’s chances are better should they target a domestic cup double of the Carabao and FA Cup with an 11.72 per cent chance.
    The Red Devils host West Ham in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup.
    But considering the last trophy United won was the 2017 Europa League under Jose Mourinho, any success in any competition will provide just cause for celebration amongst fans eager to see the return of Sir Alex Ferguson’s glory years. More

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    Newcastle fan left devastated after returning home to find dog had eaten Carabao Cup final tickets after Liverpool loss

    A NEWCASTLE fan has been left devastated after his dog gobbled up his Carabao Cup Final tickets. Magpies fan Alan Carling was already having a bad day after returning from St James Park where Newcastle suffered their first league defeat since August and had Nick Pope sent off.
    Alan Carling joked that his dog was up for sale after he returned home to see his letters – and cup final tickets – destroyedCredit: NNP
    This was Alan’s desperate attempts to reconstruct the ticketsCredit: NNP
    But things were set to get even worse when he returned home and discovered what his overeager dog Rudy had been getting up to during the 90 minutes.
    The canine had reacted badly to letters being posted into the house and had shredded up all the post.
    Unfortunately for Alan, the letters destroyed included that of the tickets he had managed to secure for Wembley’s showpiece final in the League Cup against Manchester United.
    Alan, from North Tyneside, revealed on Facebook: “This is my dog Rudy. Rudy is a little b*****d of a pup and thinks letters through the post are an invasion of his home.
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    “After coming back from watching Newcastle lose at home for the first time this season against Liverpool, conceding two goals and having the keeper sent off in the first half.

    “Rudy thought he would give me a laugh by eating the Wembley tickets that were posted whilst I was out.
    “Dog for sale, £5.”
    It is the Toon’s first cup final since 1999 and there has been a mad scramble in the city to try and get into the game.
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    Newcastle manager Eddie Howe revealed he had been getting texts from random numbers demanding tickets to the match after the club overcame Southampton in the semi-finals.
    All hope might not be lost for Alan who may still have time to explain his situation and get new tickets posted to him.
    Most stadiums can also be entered by using digital tickets but it was not clear if Alan had those available to him.
    He has yet to update followers on what has happened since Saturday evening.
    Whether Alan makes it to the game or not, it promises to be far from an easy afternoon for Newcastle with Manchester United in their best form for several years.
    Nick Pope is missing the cup final after this moment outside of his box against Liverpool on SaturdayCredit: Getty
    And as if the Red Devils weren’t formidable enough opponents on their own, Pope’s red card has further complicated the match.
    He is suspended and his back-up, Martin Dubravka, is cup-tied after playing for United in the Carabao Cup earlier this season, leading to a potentially bizarre scenario if Erik ten Hag’s side win the game.
    The situation opens the door for Loris Karius to make an extraordinary Newcastle debut, five years on after last playing in a final for Liverpool which is best remembered for his errors. More

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    Will Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka receive a winner’s medal if Man Utd win Carabao Cup?

    MARTIN DUBRAVKA will firmly be in Newcastle’s corner for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester United – but he could receive a winners medal even if the Magpies lose.All eyes will be on Wembley this weekend as Eddie Howe looks to guide Newcastle to their first major piece of silverware since 1955.
    Martin Dubravka is unavailable for Newcastle’s Carabao Cup final clashCredit: AFP
    However, they go up against an in-form Manchester United side who will be desperate to end their seven-year trophy drought.
    And Dubravka will be forced to cheer on the Magpies from the side-lines despite Nick Pope being ruled out for suspension.
    But the Slovakian might want to rethink who he supports for the benefit of his medal collection.
    Will Dubravka get a winner’s medal if Man Utd win the Carabao Cup?
    Dubravka has featured twice for Manchester United in the competition during his pre-January loan spell.
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    This means that the Slovakian will only receive a medal if the Red Devils lift the Carabao Cup on Sunday.
    And to further complicate things, Dubravka cannot represent the Magpies even after Nick Pope’s sending-off against Liverpool.
    Why can’t Dubravka play?
    Martin Dubravka helped steady the Newcastle ship after Nick Pope was sent off in the Liverpool loss.
    But the Slovakian will be cup-tied having represented Manchester United in the Carabao Cup this season.
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    And Karl Darlow looks set to be unavailable because he is out on loan at Hull City.
    Meaning that Newcastle have no option but to play forgotten man Loris Karius.
    Karius, 29, has not played a competitive match since a 1-1 draw for Union Berlin during a loan spell from Anfield on February 28, 2021 – almost exactly two years before the final. More

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    Man Utd legend Roy Keane gets his answer after cheeky request to Erik ten Hag for tickets to Carabao Cup final

    ROY KEANE is on his way back to Wembley – as a personal guest of Erik ten Hag for the Carabao cup final.The former United captain cheekily asked the manager for tickets during a pitch side interview after the Red Devils beat Nottingham Forest in the semi-final 5-0 on aggregate earlier this month.
    Manchester United legend Roy Keane asked Erik ten Hag for ticketsCredit: PA
    Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag gave Roy Keane tickets for the Carabao Cup FinalCredit: PA
    Keane won the Champions League, seven Premier League titles and four FA Cups during 12 seasons at Old Trafford.
    But a fall out with Sir Alex Ferguson saw him leave the club in 2005 and since becoming a pundit he has been a vocal critic of some of the current players including Fred, Luke Shaw and Scott McTominay.
    But during a pitchside interview, Keane cheekily asked Ten Hag: “Do you have any spare tickets for the final? Just two, two complimentary tickets?”
    The boss laughed and said: “I can. I think so Roy. No problem.”
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    A source said: “The manager promised Roy some tickets and has made sure he will get them.
    “No one at the club has more than a couple to give to family and friends so it is a lovely gesture by Erik.
    “He respects Roy for his incredible playing career and isn’t fazed by the directness of his punditry.”
    In his 2014 book The Second Half, Keane admitted to still having a “soft spot” for United and said he had got two season tickets for him and his son.
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    The Red Devils are set to face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup Final on February 26.
    The Manchester giants have been revived under Ten Hag following the World Cup break. More

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    Newcastle in another blow as Joelinton goes off injured against Liverpool just week before Carabao Cup final

    NEWCASTLE have been dealt another blow ahead of next Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester United, with star midfielder Joelinton going off injured in the Premier League clash with Liverpool.The Toon found themselves 2-0 down to the Reds and a man light at half-time after goalkeeper Nick Pope was sent off.
    Joelinton went off injured against Liverpool a WEEK before the Carabao Cup final against Man UtdCredit: Reuters
    The Brazilian appeared to be clutching his right hamstringCredit: Reuters
    Pope handled the ball outside the penalty area, leaving the referee little choice but to brandish a red card.
    The keeper will miss next Sunday’s Cup final with Man Utd as a result of the automatic one-game suspension.
    And with backup goalkeeper Martin Dubravka cup tied having played for final opponents Man Utd in the competition while on loan at Old Trafford earlier this season, Loris Karius looks to be the man who will hope to shut the Red Devils out.
    But Saturday’s clash with Liverpool went from bad to worse in the second half.
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    Star midfielder Joelinton was taken off injured in another blow ahead of the Wembley dust-up.
    The striker-turned-midfielder wanted to carry on but the decision to take him off was made and he was replaced by Matt Ritchie.
    Joelinton could still make the final should the injury turn out to not be too bad.
    The player was also one booking from a suspension, and should he have carried on against the Reds and picked up a yellow, he too would have missed the final like Pope.
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    In a boost to Eddie Howe, he will have Bruno Guimaraes back.
    The Brazil ace, 25, has now served his three-game suspension after being sent off in the League Cup semi-final second leg against Southampton. More