Over 100,000 Geordies and a few Red Devil fans flocked to the Capitol as Newcastle United battled against the red side of Manchester in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley. It wasn’t the fairy-tale ending though as Erik ten Hag’s side ran out 2-0 winners as they win their first trophy since 2017.
For Eddie Howe’s Newcastle side, Loris Karius replaced the suspended Nick Pope and Bruno Guimaraes returned from suspension. Joe Willock was fit enough to be named on the bench. Erik ten Hag named Marcus Rashford in the starting line-up after there was attempted mind games regarding his fitness, Anthony took the place of Jaden Sancho and Diogo Dalot filled in for Wan-Bissaka.
Newcastle had the brighter start in the opening five minutes, Almiron and Saint-Maximin getting the travelling Geordie fans revved up with promising runs out wide but their final ball just letting the attack come to an end. Manchester had the first shot of the game just after the ten minute mark, the ball landed to Weghorst who fired from close range but Karius easily gathered it up. The German shot stopper made another routine save just a few minutes later when Anthony unleased a curling shot from distance following a lay off from Rashford. Newcastle had a golden opportunity to take the lead with 30minutes on the clock but De Gea pulled off a fine save to deny Saint-Maximin who fired at goal after some fancy footwork, Guimaraes then fired the rebound over the bar. Manchester took the lead just a minute later when Casemiro headed home from Shaw’s free kick. VAR checked for a possible offside but despite replays showing that it clearly was offside, the goal stood. The Red Devils doubled their lead moments later and it was through Rashford. Weghorst played through the England international who fired towards goal and on route it clipped off Botman which knocked it beyond reach of the keeper. Karius then pulled off a blinding save in the final stages off the first half to deny Manchester a third. Burn had a chance to pull one back before half-time when Trippier floated a corner into the box but his head sailed over the bar. Half Time Manchester United 2 Newcastle United 0.
Anthony tested Karius just after the restart with an effort from outside the box but it didn’t trouble the keeper. Newcastle had periods of play in the second half when they played their opponents off the park, Saint-Maximin, Joelinton and Isak putting shifts in but they couldn’t quite come up with that final bit of play to stick the ball away. Karius pulled off another fine save to deny Rashford from distance. Just a minute before that Manchester attack, it was De Gea who was called into action, Trippier was played in from behind and played an inviting cross into the box but the keeper was equal to it. Murphy unleashed an effort from range as the clock approached the 90minute mark which left De Gea stranded but it fizzed over the bar. Fernandes should have added a third for the Red Devils deep into injury time but he was denied by yet another fine Karius save. Full Time Manchester United 2 Newcastle United 0.
Sutty’s Full Time Thoughts: It wasn’t to be for Eddie Howe’s Magpies who have to wait a bit longer for their first major trophy 1955. I can’t and won’t blame Karius for the result today. He couldn’t do anything about their goals. The first one shouldn’t have even stood as it was blatantly offside and the second goal was just an unlucky deflection that would have caught out any keeper. He kept us in it and produced some great saves to keep the score down. Alexander Isak looked promising when he came on at half time for Sean Longstaff and even Allan Saint-Maximin had another good game for us. Callum Wilson is as good as done for me, he offered the square root of jack s**t today and has been like that for weeks now. Injuries have taken their toll on him and he’s no longer affective enough. In hindsight, looking at the match officials for todays game, Newcastle never stood a chance against Manchester United and were up against 12 men from the start. Regardless of the result, I’m so bloody proud of how far we have came in the last 18 months or so and this is only the beginning for Newcastle. Now we can focus on the most important thing, finishing in a place for European football.
What’s Next? The Magpies travel to the Etihad as they face the real team from Manchester on Saturday 4th March in a 12:30pm KO live on BT Sport. The Red Devils host David Moyes’s West Ham United side in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Wednesday 1st March, KO is at 7:45pm.
Newcastle United Line Up: L Karius, K Trippier ©, S Botman, F Schar, D Burn, B Guimaraes (78, J Willock), S Longstaff (45, A Isak), Joelinton, M Almiron (90, M Ritchie), C Wilson (90, E Anderson), A Saint-Maximin (77, J Murphy).
Newcastle United Bench: M Gillespie, J Lascelles, M Targett, M Ritchie, J Manquillo, E Anderson, J Willock, J Murphy, A Isak.
Manchester United Line Up: D De Gea, L Martinez, B Fernandes ©, M Rashford (87, H Maguire), Fred (68, M Sabitzer), Casemiro, R Varane, D Dalot (45, A Wan-Bissaka), Anthony (81 J Sancho), L Shaw, W Weghorst (68, S McTominay).
Manchester United Bench: T Heaton, V Lindelof, H Maguire, A Wan-Bissaka, T Malacia, S McTominay, M Sabitzer, A Garnacho, J Sancho.
Match Officials: David Coote (Referee), Nick Hopton & Tom Wood (Assistant’s), Simon Hooper (Fourth Official), Peter Bankes (VAR), Eddie Smart (Assistant VAR).
@jsuttonwrites
26.02.2023
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