Newcastle United fans are being asked whether they would prefer to win the Carabao Cup or qualify for the Champions League, and Gary Neville thinks that the owners would prefer the latter.
The Magpies are enjoying a sensational season, and are competing on two fronts. Eddie Howe’s side have made it to the Carabao Cup final later this month, and will face Manchester United at Wembley on February 26th.
Alongside Newcastle’s journey to Wembley, they are also in contention to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Howe’s side are fourth in the Premier League after 21 games, and have only lost one league match so far. They have the best defence in English football’s top flight, and will be confident that they can maintain this charge to return to Europe’s elite competition.
However, Newcastle’s promising position has led to debate between fans over which they would prefer – cup success or a top four finish.
Gary Neville thinks Newcastle owners would prefer top four finish
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has weighed in on the debate, and believes that the Toon owners would potentially rather qualify for the Champions League than win the League Cup.
“From a financial perspective, Newcastle will obviously be held back by the fact if they don’t increase their revenues then obviously you can’t spend more money,” he said on the latest episode of The Overlap.
“So from a Champions League perspective that’s massive for Newcastle to get up and continue in…I do think if you spoke to the owners of the club they would say something different to the fans because they’d want that revenue to come in so they can then sign the players next summer because they have got restriction.”
Carabao Cup has to be the priority
While qualifying for the Champions League would be better commercially, winning a trophy is surely what every fan would prefer.
Football is about moments, and people will talk about winning the 2023 Carabao Cup for years to come if we get the job done at Wembley. It would end Newcastle’s incredible trophy drought, with no major silverware since 1969.
In contrast, we do have a unique opportunity to finish in the top four. Chelsea and Liverpool are both enduring miserable seasons, meaning Newcastle have less competition to qualify for the Champions League.
They will surely bounce back next season, meaning it will be even tougher for the Magpies to compete near the top. However, they will have a better chance if they are able to invest more money and sign a higher calibre of player.
In a perfect world, we get both. We win the Carabao Cup then we qualify for the Champions League. That truly would be a perfect end to what is turning out to be a remarkable campaign.
But if it has to be one or the other, Neville thinks the owners would pick the Champions League over a trophy. Let’s just hope that getting neither doesn’t become a reality.