Although Newcastle have been waiting since 1955 to lift a trophy, six years without touching silver is too long for a team like Manchester United. The Europa League won in 2017 under the orders of José Mourinho has been the last title won by the Red Devils. Hence, no matter how minor the League Cup is in England compared to other titles such as the FA Cup or the Premier League itself, this final has a transcendental value for the Old Trafford team. And it is that has the possibility of going back to being, or at least getting close to, what they always were: one of the most successful clubs in England and Europe.
Now, with several of the then Mancunian ‘heroes’ still on the staff, such as David De Gea, Luke Shaw or Marcus Rashford, but a conductor totally different from the Portuguese one, picture Red Devil will face Eddie Howe’s pupils at Wembley to try to kick off the ‘Ten Hag era’ in Manchester in the best possible way. However, the same objective will have the magpies. The renewed and wealthy Newcastle, which is in full dispute for a place in the Champions League, will play its first final of the 21st century in the temple of English football.
Substituted in the 88th minute of the match against Barcelona due to some discomfort, Marcus Rashford will reach the final of the Carabao Cup, in addition to recovering to be from the game, like the great star of Manchester United: 24 goals in 37 games, and the second half of the course still remains. In addition, the Dutch coach’s team arrives in the middle of a run of results: after being in third position in the Premier League with victories against Leeds United and Leicester City -the Red Devils chain 18 consecutive games at home without defeat–, the mancunianos came back and eliminated the blaugrana team from the Europa League.
Newcastle, which is not going through its best moment of the season (a victory in the last seven Premier League games), will not have their usual starting goalkeeper Nick Pope, sent off in the last league game. Who will replace him in the Newcastle goal? Loris Karius. The German goalkeeper, who has not played an official match since 2021 when he was still a member of Union Berlin on loan, will debut with Eddie Howe’s team in the Carabao Cup final. 2018 Champions League will have the perfect opportunity, this time in the ranks of Newcastle, to redeem himself with his particular baggage in the finals.