Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has vowed to “fight” for Wembley success against Newcastle United this weekend.
Eddie Howe’s men will be facing a wounded animal in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday. While the Reds have all but sewn up the Premier League title, a shock home defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday ended their Champions League hopes.
Debates have raged in media circles about the knock-on effect this could have on Liverpool ahead of the Wembley showdown. For Newcastle, they will be hoping a mentally-scarred Reds outfit arrive in the capital.
A lot is riding on the game for the Magpies - a club without domestic silverware for 70 years. Thousands of Toon fans will descend on London this weekend, many without tickets as they aim to sample the buzz should Newcastle get over the line.
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Victory over West Ham United on Monday means the Magpies go into the game with a spring in their step. Time will tell whether both clubs’ contrasting fortunes in recent days will have any bearing come Sunday.
Liverpool midfielder Szoboszlai - linked with a £60million move to St James’ Park in 2023 before his Reds switch - insisted they are ready to bounce back.
“We are ready to fight,” was star midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai’s message ahead of the match. “You never know who is going to play, but it doesn’t matter - everybody is ready to fight and everybody is ready to give everything.
“It’s a final, so you go in a different way into the game. It doesn’t matter who is playing, the most important is that everybody’s goal is the same, just focus on the team (and) hopefully that can make us special, that we have the whole squad, the 25 players.”
Eddie Howe admitted Dominik Szoboszlai interest at Newcastle United
Newcastle’s interest in Szoboszlai was genuine almost two years ago. He was made Hungary captain at just 22 and had already excelled on the continent for several years at Reb Bull franchises Salzburg and Leipzig.
It is easy to see why the Magpies chased the 24-year-old given his box-to-box capabilities. Viewed as an attacking midfielder when interest emerged, Szoboszlai has developed into a box-to-box beast on Merseyside.
The Liverpool star scored in Newcastle’s 2-0 defeat at Anfield last month - the precursor to this weekend’s final. Speaking 18 months ago, Howe - in an out-of-character move - opened up about United’s interest.
“For sure we liked him,” Howe said about Szoboszlai. 'He's had a very good start to his career. He's captain of his country at a really young age, and that tells you about his mentality.
“He's a very good technical player. It would have been quite an expensive purchase for us. There is a lot that goes into every transfer. But he is certainly one that we liked.”