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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Dan Brown

Rio Ferdinand names two Man United players who will be key in Carabao Cup final vs Newcastle

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has backed Marcus Rashford and Casemiro to play crucial roles in the Carabao Cup final clash with Newcastle.

Erik ten Hag's side take on the Magpies at Wembley on Sunday afternoon, with the Reds looking to win their first domestic trophy since lifting the League Cup in 2017.

United overcame Aston Villa, Burnley, Charlton Athletic and Nottingham Forest to reach the Carabao Cup final this season - with Ten Hag's men currently the only side in England still competing on all four fronts.

ALSO READ: Manchester United vs Newcastle LIVE

The Reds are desperate to triumph at Wembley on Sunday afternoon, and they will be looking to their experienced players to help guide them through the final. Former United centre-back Ferdinand suggested that Casemiro would be key in the clash with Eddie Howe's side, while also backing Rashford to continue his incredible goalscoring run.

"It’ll be interesting to see because in the times gone by before he [Rashford] wasn’t the guy everyone looked to, to win the game for us," he told club media. "It was other people more experienced, whereas now he’s much more experienced and in an unbelievable vein of form, so the pressure is going to be on him to score.

"But he looks like at the moment he loves that pressure, he revels in that, and hopefully he steps up again. I think there’s not a game in recent weeks, the last few months, that he doesn’t go into being our number one reason to have a chance of winning the game."

Speaking about Casemiro, Ferdinand added: "He’s been our most important player. I think him and Marcus Rashford for different reasons. He seems to be the glue in this team.

"I would put a lot of the positives and the form and the consistency in this team down to his presence in the team. Not solely, but he has a huge impact on this team."

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