Liverpool will take on Newcastle next week for the first trophy the 2024/25 campaign has to offer.
The two Premier League clubs will compete in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday, March 16, with the Reds looking to springboard the remainder of their season by winning the competition for a record-extending 11th time.
Arne Slot’s men booked their place in the Wembley showpiece by beating Tottenham in the semi-finals, while the Tyneside outfit would make a tie against Arsenal look relatively easy.
A lot of talk in the build-up to the final has been around the fitness of Alexander Isak after the striker picked up a knock in a recent game with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Liverpool are aware of the threat the Swedish star is to their chances of winning the Carabao Cup and the Merseyside club have been given a hint over his fitness ahead of next week’s clash.
Photo by George Wood/Getty Images
Photo by George Wood/Getty Images
Update on Alexander Isak’s fitness ahead of the Carabao Cup final
Isak has been in great form this season for Newcastle with his 22 goals and five assists propelling them towards Champions League qualification and a potential first title in decades.
Liverpool have been linked to Isak as a result but it remains to be seen if the Reds move for the striker as Newcastle are set to demand an astronomical transfer fee.
In the meantime, Slot will be more concerned about the Swedish star’s fitness ahead of the Carabao Cup final and the Dutch coach has been given a big hint.
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According to Sky Sports’ Keith Downie, Isak participated in the media day for the Carabao Cup final this week and the 25-year-old was conducting interviews, moving well and in good spirits.
This suggests that the striker will line up for the Magpies at Wembley, but Eddie Howe still has several major issues to deal with ahead of facing Liverpool.
Newcastle dealt another major blow ahead of Liverpool clash
This weekend was a disastrous one for Newcastle as Anthony Gordon picked up a red card in the Magpies’s FA Cup clash with Brighton and will now miss the Carabao Cup final as a result.
Newcastle have also made a statement relating to Lewis Hall this week as Howe learned that the left-back will miss the remainder of the 24/25 campaign with a foot injury
The bad news did not stop there for the English coach as the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope reports that Sven Botman is set for a knee operation and will also miss the Carabao Cup final.
This is very unfortunate for Newcastle that all three have happened just before a game that could end their long wait for a trophy.
However, Liverpool won the Carabao Cup under similar circumstances last season so the Merseyside club know better than anyone not to get ahead of themselves before travelling to Wembley next week.