Rafa Benitez has suggested that Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe already "knows" who between Loris Karius and Mark Gillespie will replace Nick Pope for the club's Carabao Cup final clash with Manchester United.
Pope was shown a straight red card by Anthony Taylor for handling the ball outside of his area during the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool on Saturday afternoon. The dismissal means that Newcastle will be without the 30-year-old shot-stopper when they come up against Man United at Wembley next week.
Martin Dubravka is cup-tied and Karl Darlow has been sent out on loan to Hull City, meaning that one of Karius or Gillespie is left to start between the sticks for the Magpies on February 26. Howe seemingly now has a difficult decision to make, but Benitez believes it is one that the Newcastle boss has already come to terms with.
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"I think he [Howe] will have in his head the order already," Benitez told Sky Sports. "I think he knows who is the number three because normally you talk with the goalkeeping coach everyday, so you will know how they train, you will know if one has better character, and which one can deal with the pressure of a final. In my head, he will have a number three already.
"You cannot talk about the last performance. You have to talk about what you can expect from him in a crucial moment like a final, so then maybe an experienced international, maybe someone who has been doing well, but how they train, how they do everyday and the mentality. I’m sure he will know who is his ‘keeper. Something can change in the week, but he will have an idea already."
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