Liverpool and Newcastle will face off at Wembley this Sunday in the Carabao Cup final as both sides go all out to try and land the first major trophy of the season
Gary Neville reckons Liverpool will beat Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final – and shut out Magpies striker Alexander Isak.
Arne Slot’s men will be out to make up for their disappointing Champions League exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain at Wembley on Sunday, where the Dutchman will have the chance to win his first trophy since succeeding Jurgen Klopp in the summer.
Newcastle, on the other hand, are desperate to end a 70-year trophy drought. They will be hoping it’s a case of second time lucky after reaching the Carabao Cup final for the second time in three years.
Liverpool beat Newcastle 2-0 in the Premier League last month in a dress rehearsal for Sunday’s big final. Newcastle were without Isak for that game, but Neville can see the Reds winning to nil even with the in-form Swede now in the picture.
Speaking on the latest Stick to Football podcast, Neville said of the final: -“Here we go — I think Liverpool will win 2-1 or 2-0… 2-0 Liverpool.” Ian Wright then interjected, saying: “You’re not giving Alexander Isak a goal?”
Neville replied: “Do you know something? Newcastle never play well at Wembley – I hope they do! When you watch Newcastle at Wembley, you see all them fans that have travelled like six, seven hours, you think go on and give them something, surprise them.”
Wright then recalled the 1998 FA Cup final, where Arsenal beat the Magpies. “When we played them in 1998, they didn’t play well – I don’t know what it is,” he admitted.
Neville then added: “I can’t see Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk not being winners on Sunday. You know when you look at two players and you just think, who’s going to take that off them?”
Both teams will be without key men this weekend, with Trent Alexander-Arnold a doubt for Liverpool after sustaining an injury in their match with Paris Saint-Germain.
Newcastle will be without the suspended Anthony Gordon. But they should have Isak in tow after he was taken off early against West Ham at the start of the week.
Howe said ahead of Sunday’s game: “We’re hopeful that we’ve got a clean bill of health. I don’t think you ever quite know until the next day or two, but at the moment, I think we look okay.”
On Isak, he added: “I didn’t take him off because of an injury. I took him off because I thought he was tiring. But no issues that I’m aware of.”
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