Chris Sutton makes shock prediction for Carabao Cup final between Manchester United and Newcastle

Premier League legend Chris Sutton has predicted Newcastle United to spring a surprise and beat Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday (February 26). The two sides meet at Wembley with their first trophy of the season at stake.

Sutton tips Newcastle to secure their first trophy in 67 years. The former Chelsea striker has backed a 1-1 draw in regulation time, with the Magpies to win the final on penalties. He told BBC Sport:

"Manchester United are a club with great harmony now, and I have nothing but praise for the work Erik ten Hag has done there, but I don't think Sunday will be as straightforward for them as many seem to be expecting."

Newcastle will likely start Loris Karius in place of Nick Pope, who is suspended for the final. The German's last appearance in a final was a torrid showing in the 2018 Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid. Sutton said about that:

"Everyone is writing Newcastle off because Nick Pope is suspended, and they will have to play their third-choice goalkeeper Loris Karius instead... For him to win at Wembley and be the hero too would be a fairytale because it is so unlikely - but you know what, let's go for the fairytale."

Sutton concluded:

"I think this game will go the distance, and Karius will make the difference, right at the very end."

Newcastle are enjoying an incredible season under Eddie Howe, flying high in fifth spot in the league.

They sat in fourth place and looked to be in contention for a top-four finish. However, the Magpies suffered a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool on February 18. That came after two consecutive draws, with Tottenham Hotspur displacing them in fourth.

Meanwhile, Manchester United's remarkable campaign shows no signs of stopping. Ten Hag's side are third in the league and beat Barcelona 2-1 (4-3 aggregate) on Thursday (February 24) to advance to the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League. They have lost just once since the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

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Manchester United fret over Marcus Rashford injury ahead of Carabao Cup final

Marcus Rashford could miss the Carabao Cup final.

Rashford featured in Manchester United's 2-1 comeback win over Barcelona on Thursday.

The English attacker was substituted for Scott McTominay in the 88th minute. However, he raised concern after the victory when he posted a picture of himself hobbling down the sidelines with an injured emoticon on his Instagram story.

Ten Hag was unable to confirm whether Rashford will play against Newcastle. He told reporters ahead of the final:

“I don’t know. The players are coming in, and we’ll have to do investigating. We’ll have to wait.”

Rashford has been in prolific form this season, scoring 24 goals in 37 games across competitions. His potential absence would be a massive blow for Ten Hag's side.