Jurgen Klopp has admitted that Nick Pope is 'really unlucky' to miss the Carabao Cup final after the Newcastle United goalkeeper was sent off against his Liverpool side.
Pope was given his marching orders midway through the first half of Newcastle's 2-0 defeat at St James' Park on Saturday after handling the ball well outside his area. The red card all stemmed from opposite number Alisson's punt forward in the 22nd minute after the Liverpool goalkeeper easily caught Kieran Trippier's free-kick.
With so many Newcastle players rushing to get back, Alisson quickly spotted the run of Mo Salah and sent the Liverpool forward racing clear. Pope, sensing the danger, rushed out of his goal to try to get there first but the goalkeeper fell at Salah's feet as he appeared to try and head the ball before inexplicably grabbing it 30 yards from goal.
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Referee Anthony Taylor immediately brandished the red card to rule Pope out of Sunday's Carabao Cup final against Manchester United at Wembley and Klopp was among those who felt the goalkeeper's pain.
"Unlucky for Nick Pope in that moment," the Liverpool boss told reporters. "Really unlucky."
A puzzled Klopp then asked reporters why Martin Dubravka was unable to play in the final after the substitute 'keeper replaced Elliot Anderson following Pope's dismissal before learning that the Slovakia international was cup-tied after representing Manchester United in the competition earlier this season. With Newcastle unable to recall Karl Darlow from his loan spell at Hull City, former Liverpool shot-stopper Loris Karius looks set to make his first competitive start for two years at the weekend.
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