Nick Pope will MISS Carabao Cup final after calamitous red card for handball well outside his box against Liverpool in massive blow to Newcastle… and Loris Karius is set to start for Magpies in Wembley showpiece, with Martin Dubravka cup-tied
- Nick Pope will miss Carabao Cup final after calamitous red card for handball
- Newcastle hosted Liverpool ahead of the final against Man United next week
- Mohamed Salah looked to be through on goal but for Pope’s calamitous error
Nick Pope was sent off during Newcastle’s game against Liverpool and will now miss their Carabao Cup final match against Manchester United next Sunday.
Mohamed Salah charged forwards to receive a pass from Alisson and looked to be through on goal, but in an extraordinary moment of madness, the Newcastle goalkeeper came out of his box diving with his hands to stop the rampaging forward.
Interfering illegally with the play, Pope was immediately sent his marching orders by Anthony Taylor, and will miss their cup final next week, posing another selection headache for Eddie Howe.
And it was a torrid start to the match for the first-choice keeper, who had already conceded two goals within the first 20 minutes of the match, with Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo both firing home to go 2-0 up at the start of the match.
Howe will be unable to rely on immediate back-up keeper, Martin Dubravka, who is cup-tied, after playing in the tournament during his short loan spell with Manchester United.
Nick Pope (right) was sent off during Newcastle United’s game against Liverpool on Saturday
In a moment of madness, Pope handled the ball outside his box to stop a rampaging Mo Salah
His only other choice is to rely on Loris Karius, who was released by Liverpool last summer, before linking up with the Magpies as a free agent.
The German goalkeeper, 29, is yet to play a game for the Geordies this season, with Pope favoured as Howe’s No 1 and Dubravka, who has already played in the EFL Cup for Manchester United twice this season, both ahead of him in the pecking order.
Howe may also look to fellow back-up keeper Mark Gillespie, who is a boyhood fan and academy graduate of the club.
Pope walked straight to the stands after conceding two goals and being sent off vs Liverpool
Darwin Nunez opened the scoring for Liverpool after 10 minutes with a thumping finish
And Cody Gakpo followed him, scoring his second goal in two matches for the Merseyside club
He was released at 16, but after donning the gloves for Carlisle, Walsall and Motherwell during his career, the 30-year-old could make his fourth appearance for the club, no less in the Carabao Cup final.
Pope meanwhile could miss Newcastle’s next three matches against Manchester City, Wolves and Nottingham Forest, with the Magpies sitting fourth in the league, five points off Man United in third place.
