Newcastle‘s third-choice goalkeeper Loris Karius is in line to make his first senior appearance for two years in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester United next week after Nick Pope sparked a keeper crisis at the club with a red card against Liverpool.
England goalkeeper Pope will miss the Wembley clash — Newcastle’s first major final since the 1999 FA Cup final — after being sent off for handling the ball outside the penalty area during the first-half against Liverpool at St James’ Park.
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Referee Anthony Taylor’s decision to issue the red card means that Pope, a summer signing from Burnley, will be suspended for the game against Erik ten Hag’s side.
With Newcastle reduced to 10 men, manager Eddie Howe substituted midfielder Elliot Anderson in order for second-choice keeper Martin Dubravka to play out the remainder of the game in goal.
But Slovakia international Dubravka will also be ruled out of the Carabao Cup final because he made two appearances in the earlier rounds of the competition while on loan at next week’s opponents United.
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Carabao Cup rules prohibit players from representing two teams in the competition in one season, so Dubravka will be ineligible for the game.
With previous third-choice goalkeeper Karl Darlow being loaned out to Championship team Hull City for the rest of this season on Jan. 31, former Liverpool goalkeeper Karius is now the only senior goalkeeper available to Newcastle for the Wembley game.
The 29-year-old has yet to play for Newcastle since joining as a free agent last summer following the end of his contract at Liverpool. His last game was for Union Berlin against Hoffenheim in February 2021.
Karius did not make an appearance for Liverpool after being blamed for mistakes which led to two goals in the club’s Champions League final defeat against Real Madrid in Kyiv in 2018.
The German goalkeeper was subsequently revealed to have suffered concussion during that game, but despite his injury, played on during the 3-1 defeat.