Newcastle United Excited to Face Liverpool in Carabao Cup Final
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe (47) has welcomed the opportunity to take on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final. Howe was speaking ahead of their FA Cup fourth-round clash against League One club Birmingham City on Saturday night.
Howe expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming cup final, stating, "It’s a great game lined up. Liverpool did what they usually do at Anfield – it was a really good performance from them. Whoever we were going to face was going to be a big task. We really look forward to it, but we have to put it to bed. That’s our challenge."
The manager acknowledged the need to shift their focus away from the final for the time being. "We have to (park it). The biggest challenge is to eradicate it from our brains for a matter of time. When you’re playing the likes of City, Liverpool in the league and Forest, we can’t take our eyes off them. We need to focus on every step before the final."
Newcastle’s recent form (Flashscore)
Howe revealed that he hasn’t yet imagined himself lifting the trophy, saying, "No, I haven’t really thought too deeply on it. I’ve quickly realised that the size of our task for Saturday, it’s a mental task to recover and refocus our energy. We need to see this as a big challenge. I can’t live there too long in terms of going somewhere else. It’s back to work."
Preparing for the FA Cup Match Against Birmingham City
Looking ahead to their FA Cup match against Birmingham City, Howe acknowledged the need to rotate his squad. "We’ll have to rotate. It’ll be difficult to ask players to go again and give the same energy as Wednesday. We don’t have a huge squad, but we’ll try to pick a team that is strong enough to win. Those players need to take their opportunities. Any chance they get, they have to take."
Striker Callum Wilson’s return from injury for the Carabao Cup semi-final win against Arsenal has boosted the team. Howe said, "He seems fine. Callum is very confident about his body at this moment in time. He’s gone through several things differently this time around in his recovery. He’s trained very hard for this. He feels robust, strong, and ready to start games."
The manager also highlighted the importance of goalkeeper Nick Pope’s return from injury, stating, "Nick has shown from his training, you can see he’s motivated. He wants to make up for lost time. So I think he’ll see any opportunity as a chance to remind everyone how good of a goalkeeper he is."
Reflecting on Newcastle’s quiet winter transfer market, Howe praised the performance of defender Kieran Trippier, who has had a "difficult season" with a "couple of fitness issues." Howe also noted the strong competition at the right-back position, with Tino Livramento and Emil Krafth also capable of playing there.
Regarding Krafth’s contract situation, Howe said, "I believe talks are ongoing. He’s someone we want to keep."
In conclusion, Newcastle United and their manager Eddie Howe are eager to face the challenge of Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final, but they remain focused on their upcoming FA Cup match against Birmingham City. The team’s recent form and the return of key players like Callum Wilson and Nick Pope have boosted their confidence as they navigate the busy schedule ahead.
