The Carabao Cup will be up for grabs when Manchester United and Newcastle United meet in the final at Wembley on Sunday.
The first trophy of the 2022/23 season in England will be on the line this weekend, as the Carabao Cup reaches its climax. Manchester United and Newcastle United will meet at Wembley on Sunday in a highly-anticipated fixture. And the two teams will be desperate to end their respective trophy droughts this weekend.
Manchester United entered the Carabao Cup in the third round, beating Aston Villa 4-2. Since then, the Red Devils have not conceded a single goal, getting past Burnley, Charlton Athletic, and Nottingham Forest in the last three stages. On the other hand, Newcastle United endured a more taxing run to the final.
They started by getting past Tranmere Rovers 2-1 in the second round before beating Crystal Palace on penalties. Bournemouth and Leicester City did not trouble Newcastle much in the next two stages. But the Magpies were in trouble for a while against Southampton before clinching a 3-1 aggregate win in the semi-finals.
But Newcastle United’s recent results have not been impressive, as they have slipped up in the Premier League. And three consecutive winless results have sent them out of the top four. On the other hand, Manchester United might be the potential dark horse in the title race while beating Barcelona in the UEFA Europa League this week. So momentum is one of the factors favouring the Red Devils.
Manchester United and Newcastle United have played each other once this season, playing out a goalless stalemate at Old Trafford in October. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the Carabao Cup final ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Player to Watch
Manchester United
🗣️ "We have to wait for a 100% diagnosis. We have to wait."
Erik ten Hag responds to questions about Marcus Rashford's availability for the Carabao Cup final. 👀 pic.twitter.com/UP7RzL9Cyd
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 24, 2023
Erik ten Hag has a new injury concern hampering his preparations ahead of the Carabao Cup final. Against Newcastle United on Sunday, the Manchester United manager might be bereft of the services of four first-team players.
The Dutch tactician is sweating over the fitness of Marcus Rashford, who sustained an ankle issue against Barcelona. And ten Hag is unsure if Rashford will be fit enough to start against Newcastle United. But Donny van de Beek (knee), Christian Eriksen (ankle), and Anthony Martial (hip) will not be available on Sunday.
Alejandro Garnacho will likely start on the left flank if Rashford is not fit enough to start. But the Englishman might feature in the eleven, with Antony replacing Jadon Sancho in the attack. The duo will be the wide attackers for Manchester United, with Wout Weghorst leading the line.
Rashford, Weghorst, and Bruno Fernandes will combine to create a fluid offensive unit. But Bruno Fernandes will be the creative supremo for Manchester United when he reprises the no. 10 role. He will also drop deep in the defensive phase.
Fred has been exceptional alongside Casemiro in the last few games. And the two Brazilian midfielders will likely combine in the double pivot again. So Marcel Sabitzer will find himself on the bench for a second successive game. While Casemiro will break up play and distribute the ball, Fred’s ghosting runs will be the x-factor.
As for the defensive unit, Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, and Luke Shaw pick themselves. Varane and Martinez will form a solid central defensive partnership. And Shaw will be the workhorse on the left flank. Meanwhile, Diogo Dalot should pip Aaron Wan-Bissaka to the right-back berth. Finally, there is no looking past David de Gea between the sticks.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): de Gea; Dalot, Varane, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Fred; Antony, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford; Weghorst
Newcastle United
Eddie Howe has greeted a mixed bag of updates on the team news front ahead of the trip to Wembley. Against Manchester United on Sunday, the Newcastle United manager will be without three first-team players.
The good news is that Bruno Guimaraes has served his suspension. Meanwhile, Joelinton should be fit to start after recovering from a thigh injury. But Nick Pope will not be available after seeing red against Liverpool last weekend. The English goalkeeper has joined Joe Willock (thigh) and Emil Krafth (knee) on the sidelines.
While Pope is suspended, Martin Dubravka is cup-tied and will miss the game. So Loris Karius will make his Newcastle United debut against Manchester United on Sunday. The Magpies will line up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of the German goalkeeper.
Embrace the occasion. ✊ pic.twitter.com/cTO1Aj9IXB
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) February 21, 2023
Fabian Schar and Sven Botman have forged one of the most solid central defensive partnerships in the Premier League. And the duo will need to be at their best to keep Marcus Rashford quiet. Meanwhile, Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn should be the two full-backs.
Trippier will pull double duty as he will be the creator-in-chief for Newcastle United. His deliveries from set pieces will also be crucial for the Magpies. And Trippier’s output will allow the midfield trifecta of Sean Longstaff, Bruno Guimaraes, and Joelinton to remain defensively resolute.
But the three midfielders will also create overloads in advanced positions when the opportunity presents itself. As for the offensive unit, Allan Saint-Maximin will be the game-changer due to his directness. The Frenchman will join Miguel Almiron and Alexander Isak in the final third. So Callum Wilson will find himself on the bench in the final.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Karius; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Longstaff, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton; Almiron, Isak, Saint-Maximin
Key Stats
- Manchester United vs Newcastle United will be the 19th fixture to have been played as both a League Cup and an FA Cup final. These clubs met in the 1999 FA Cup final, with the Red Devils winning 2-0 to secure the second part of their historic Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble. Meanwhile, Manchester United have won two of their three League Cup meetings with Newcastle (L1), with this the first since a 2-1 home win in September 2012.
- Newcastle United will be competing in the League Cup final for the first time since 1976, with the gap of 47 years the longest between finals in League Cup history. The Magpies have lost their last four major finals (1974, 1998 and 1999 FA Cup finals, 1976 League Cup final) since a 6-2 aggregate win in the 1969 Fairs Cup final against Hungarian side Ujpest.
- Manchester United are in their tenth League Cup final, with only Liverpool (13) ever playing in more. Only Liverpool (9) and Manchester City (8) have won the trophy more often than the Red Devils (5). Meanwhile, only Arsenal (6) and Tottenham (5) have lost more League Cup finals than Manchester United (4).
- Newcastle United have lost their last eight matches at Wembley, the longest-ever losing run by a team at Wembley in history. Their most recent win at the stadium was in the 1955 FA Cup final against Manchester City, 67 years and 295 days since the date of this game.
- Since the 2009/10 season, when Eddie Howe first managed in the League Cup, no manager has more wins in the competition than him (22, level with Pep Guardiola). He is looking to become the first Englishman to win the League Cup since Steve McClaren in 2003/04 with Middlesbrough.
- Marcus Rashford has been involved in 18 goals in his last 15 appearances in the League Cup, scoring 12 and assisting six. This season alone he has five goals and two assists in five games, averaging a direct contribution every 40 minutes in the competition this term.
Player to Watch
Bruno Guimaraes
The midfield battle will determine which way the scales will fall on Sunday. And Casemiro will be up against compatriot Bruno Guimaraes in the middle of the park. The Newcastle United talisman, in particular, is our player to watch for Sunday. The Brazilian international is fresh off a suspension that has seen him miss most of the action this month.
The Magpies missed him dearly in their recent winless run, and Eddie Howe will be elated to have him back. So Bruno Guimaraes will be eager to make up for the lost time. And how he fares will go a long way in determining if Newcastle United can take the game to Manchester United.
Prediction
Manchester United 2-1 Newcastle United
Newcastle United will come into the Carabao Cup final against Manchester United well-rested. In contrast, the Red Devils were in midweek action and endured a taxing outing versus Barcelona. So the Magpies have an advantage on the fatigue front and should have better endurance.
But Manchester United might have the edge if Marcus Rashford regains enough fitness to start. The Englishman is the most in-form player in the world and will be the biggest game-changer on Sunday. With the Red Devils being the slight favourites, The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Erik ten Hag’s charges. But the two teams should trade blows throughout 90 minutes on Sunday.
