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‘It’s not just another game’ for Liverpool, insisted Mohamed Salah ahead of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium.
Liverpool head into the game as Carabao Cup holders and looking to win the competition for a record-extending 11th time while Newcastle look to win it for the first time and end a 70-year trophy drought. The match comes after Liverpool’s penalty shootout exit to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
The pre-match narrative ahead of the game suggested that the final ‘means more to Newcastle’ and is ‘just another game’ for Liverpool. But Salah refuted those claims in his exclusive matchday programme interview.
"It's not just another game," he said. "When you have ambition and you want to win something you have to be nervous. If I ever felt too relaxed, I would feel like there is something wrong.
"But I would say it's more a feeling of excitement than nerves. We work hard all season for trophies, so you have to be prepared for these games.
"It's great to play at Wembley - it's a great stadium with a lot of history. It's going to be a very tough game. We know that Newcastle really want to win it because they haven't won a trophy for a long time, so they will give it a good try. We just have to give it our all and hopefully it'll be enough."
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Liverpool will be backed by 32,210 supporters at Wembley on Sunday with Salah looking to continue his strong record against Newcastle. The Egyptian has two goals and an assist in two games against Newcastle in the Premier League this season.
He has 10 goals and eight assists in 17 matches against The Magpies in his career.
When asked about Liverpool’s supporters, Salah said: "They are incredible and have shown me so much love and respect," he says. "I try to give all I have, every year, for the city and for the fans.
"It feels to me like we have 12 players because they are always behind us, supporting us home and away. We will give everything for them."
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