As dress rehearsals go it could hardly have been worse for Newcastle. Eight days before their long-awaited Carabao Cup final date with Manchester United, Eddie Howe’s team not only lost a Premier League game for only the second time this season but had Nick Pope sent off. The resultant suspension means the England goalkeeper will miss out on a Wembley appearance.
Newcastle remain fourth yet Liverpool, who beat them at Anfield in August, are now only six points and four places behind with a game in hand. Not that such encouraging statistics necessarily mean Jürgen Klopp’s side are totally renascent, let alone set to win the race for Champions League qualification.
