Erik ten Hag wants Manchester United to ‘test’ Newcastle United goalkeeper Loris Karius in the Carabao Cup final. The German is set to play his first competitive game in two years.
Newcastle are down to their third-choice goalkeeper for Sunday’s showdown at Wembley. Nick Pope misses the Magpies’ first cup final since 1999 due to suspension. While Martin Dubravka cannot play having played with Manchester United in the tournament this term.
The Red Devils signed Dubravka on loan from the Toon for £2m in September with a £6m option to buy. But Eddie Howe recalled the Slovakian to St James’ Park this January having struggled to earn minutes under Ten Hag. Yet his two matches both came in the EFL Cup.
Pope misses the match after receiving a straight red card for handball against Liverpool in the Premier League last Saturday. So, Howe is now set to hand Karius his Newcastle debut against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup. He signed for the Magpies last September.
Newcastle signed Karius with an initial short-term contract after letting Dubravka move on loan to Manchester United. Howe would extend the German’s terms in January to the end of the season. Yet the 29-year-old has only served as an unused substitute for eight games.
Loris Karius starting for Newcastle is ‘not an advantage’ for Manchester United
Howe has not even named Karius on Newcastle’s bench since November. While the former Germany youth international’s last competitive match came whilst on loan to Union Berlin from Liverpool in February 2021. He failed to make a single team during the 21/22 season.
Ten Hag considers Newcastle’s goalkeeper situation an ‘issue’ for Howe ahead of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final. Yet the Manchester United manager does not consider Karius starting at Wembley to be an advantage. But he will instruct his players to try to test the shot-stopper.
“That’s an issue for them to sort,” Ten Hag said, via quotes by Sky Sports. “Of course, we know it. It’s definitely not an advantage.
“We don’t influence it, they can influence it. The one [Howe starts] can influence it. We have to test it, that is quite obvious.”
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