There is a goalkeeping crisis at Newcastle United. Due to Nick Pope’s red card in the game against Liverpool, The Magpies have to call on the third goalkeeper for the League Cup final against Manchester United. Second choice Martin Dubravka is not eligible to play.

Red card

Pope caused a stir against Liverpool on Saturday with a rather bizarre red card. The keeper made hands outside his own penalty area. The red print means that the England international cannot play against manager Erik ten Hag’s United.Dubravka then came within the lines, but he is also not allowed to play in the final. The Slovak closing post played for United earlier this season, for which he already played twice in the League Cup tournament. As a player you are not allowed to play for two different teams in the same cup tournament.

Loris Karius

Eddie Howe now has two options. The Newcastle manager still has Loris Karius and Mark Gillespie. The former, who played for Liverpool, was acquired on a free transfer in September, and played less than a minute. On Sunday, February 26, it will become clear which goalkeeper is under the bar at Newcastle. Then at 5.30 pm the kick-off for the cup cracker against The Mancunians. Since the Pope red card, many people started putting their free bets on Man United to win the Carabao Cup.

Karius history in finals

Karius already played a huge final in his career. During his spell at Liverpool, he played the Champions League final against Real Madrid. Six minutes after the break, at 0-0, Karius easily caught the ball in his penalty area. The German goalkeeper wanted to resume the game quickly. A fit of mental derangement followed. Karim Benzema put his foot in front of the ball and it just rolled into the goal. A blunder with a capital B from Karius, but for Liverpool there was still enough time to do something about the 1-0 deficit. It worked. Sadio Mané let Karius breathe a sigh of relief by working in the 1-1 four minutes later. After Bale had made it 2-1 with a sublime tour de force in the 63rd minute, The Reds then went on the attack again. But once again it was Karius who blundered and ended all hopes for Liverpool. The German grabbed at a distance from Bale and the ball again ended up in the net: 3-1.