Callum Wilson believes Loris Karius has "so much to prove to people" after the Newcastle goalkeeper's career took a "nosedive" nearly five years ago.
Karius, 29, was Liverpool's first-choice goalkeeper ahead of the 2018 Champions League final but was deemed surplus to requirements after making two howlers which gifted Real Madrid two goals in the 3-1 loss. He hasn't played a senior game for an English side since.
The German signed for Newcastle last September and has spent most of his time at St James' Park on the bench. Yet he could start Sunday's EFL Cup final as first-choice goalkeeper Nick Pope is suspended and second-choice Martin Dubravka is cup-tied.
Newcastle fans are hoping Karius will produce the performance of a lifetime against Manchester United and complete a remarkable redemption story. The Magpies have not won a domestic cup competition since their Texaco Cup triumph in November 1974.
Wilson, 30, is also hoping that will happen. "That game [the 2018 Champions League final] made his career take a nosedive, so he has so much to prove to people," the Newcastle striker, who is set to play in his first major cup final, said of Karius on BBC Radio 5 Live's The Football's Football podcast.
"He's got more inspiration to turn peoples' opinions of him around than anyone else in the stadium. There are so many emotional attachments to this game that I think it is going to be a special day."
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Karius joined Liverpool from German side Mainz in the summer of 2016. He was viewed as a promising young goalkeeper at the time, with Reds boss Jurgen Klopp putting his faith in him. Yet the former youth international often struggled for form in England.
Karius was picked ahead of Simon Mignolet for the 2018 Champions League final, a game which has left a stain on his career. The German suffered a concussion in that final and it is believed that could have made an impact on his performance in Kyiv.
Nevertheless, Klopp lost faith in Karius after the Real defeat and replaced him with Alisson. Karius spent the next three seasons out on loan at Turkish side Besiktas and German outfit Union Berlin before returning to Liverpool's reserves in the summer of 2021.
He made a surprise move to Newcastle following an injury to Karl Darlow but was not expected to feature due to Pope's good form. Karius has not played a senior game in more than two years, but a solid display against United could reignite his career.
Eddie Howe has urged Karius to "rewrite the story of his career". The Newcastle boss also has Mark Gillespie at his disposal but is expected to give Karius the nod. Howe told reporters of the latter: "It would be a magnificent chance for him to rewrite the story of his career.
"There’s been loads of stories through the times in football where these things have happened and there’s been a really positive outcome - or not. We can’t predict what that will be. Who knows what that chapter will look like? That’s the beauty of football."
