Roy Keane has waved away suggestions Newcastle United could have an advantage ahead of the Carabao Cup final due to Manchester United's fixture congestion as 'nonsense'. The Red Devils booked their place at Wembley with a home-leg victory over Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night to seal a 5-0 aggregate success.
It is a shot at a first major domestic trophy for Newcastle since 1955, and a first cup-final appearance since 1999. However, Erik ten Hag will be hoping to lift silverware in his first season in charge at Old Trafford, and it would be a first trophy for Manchester United since 2017.
Eddie Howe's side have three Premier League fixtures to negotiate before their Wembley outing, beginning with a televised home clash with West Ham on Saturday evening. The Magpies then face an away trip to Bournemouth, before a chance to avenge their only league defeat so far when they host Liverpool.
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In contrast, Manchester United must prepare for an additional domestic fixture in the same time period, as well as the small matter of a Europa League knockout tie with Barcelona. However, ex-Red Devils captain Keane believes his former side should embrace the challenge of competing on multiple fronts.
He told Sky Sports: "Listen, don’t fall for that nonsense that people say about fixtures. You have a big squad, you’re playing for Man United, you’re expected to be competing for trophies in big games, and this run of games I think is fantastic.
"Busy schedule, playing midweek means you’re being successful. Cup competitions, European games against Barcelona coming up - brilliant. That’s what you want.
"When you sign that contract to come here to Man United you’re coming here to win trophies. Last year was nowhere good enough, now they’re back involved, they’re competing, and that’s what you want.
"The manager has said it many times before, it’s about keep working hard and learning and that’s what you do as a Manchester United player. You’re at Manchester United to compete and win trophies, just get down with it."
The sides played out a goalless draw at Old Trafford in October, and Newcastle currently sit above ten Hag's side in the table on goal difference. Keane admits he was never a fan of the Magpies during his playing days, but believes the upcoming encounter between the top-four rivals is set to be a 'brilliant final'.
The pundit added: "I didn’t have too much time for Newcastle actually but on paper it’s a brilliant final. It’s the start of something up in Newcastle, they’ve had a brilliant season, they’re rock solid at the back, they’re not giving many goals away at the back, but United are also desperate for a bit of success.
"At the start of the season if you’d said to United, you know they way they started, that they’d be getting to a cup final pretty quickly. Both sets of players and supporters will be desperate for success, so we’re in for a brilliant final."
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