Micah Richards has apologised to Newcastle United fans after poking fun at last season’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester United.
Newcastle are still fighting in the league cup with a quarter-final against Chelsea just around the corner, but it’s still difficult forget last years final defeat to Manchester United.
Speaking alongside Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker on The Rest Is Football, Richards had a dig at Newcastle for losing in the Carabao Cup final after Shearer had said that they’re still in the competition.
Richards pokes fun at Newcastle defeat
After the most exciting cup run for Newcastle in over two decades, the Magpies fell at the final hurdle and their long wait to win a domestic trophy would go on for another year.
It’s certainly left a bitter taste in the mouths of Newcastle supporters, but the team look ready to fight for the cup again and, after beating Manchester United and Manchester City, have no reason to believe they can’t go all the way this time.
On the podcast Shearer had been trying to give a positive outlook on what has been a pretty disappointing couple of weeks in the North East.
On The Rest Is Football, Shearer said: “The last couple of weeks haven’t been great in the league. The Bournemouth result was really poor, a couple of poor performances in the Champions League as well.
“They have a ton of injuries which isn’t helping, the international break would have done them the world of good I hope to get at least two or three players back. The Tonali thing has gone against them. Still in the Carabao Cup, so they are still going in that and the Champions League…”
Lineker then commented: “Still in the Carabao Cup [laughing]!”
“Didn’t they knock Man United out,” Shearer questioned.
To which Richards then made his comments on the cup defeat: “Last year you bottled it, what are you talking about!”
Shearer then retaliated: “Shut up, you idiot!”
However, Richards quickly apologised, realising that he may have overstepped the mark: “I love the Toon, I didn’t mean that, I’m sorry the Toon! I’m sorry!”
Newcastle can go all the way this year
Newcastle may have tasted defeat last time, but there’s every reason to believe that this will make the players hungrier for a trophy this time round, especially with Eddie Howe motivating them to succeed.
With last years winners and Premier League champions already knocked out at the hands of Newcastle, Howe’s team can go into that quarter-final tie with confidence knowing that they can beat anyone.
If they were to go one step further this time, nobody could say they haven’t’ deserved it after being drawn against Man City, Man United and Chelsea with Arsenal and Liverpool still both in the competition.
It’s even more impressive when you look at the teams in both of those previous ties – Paul Dummett started at the back in both, partnering Emil Krafth who made his return from injury after 14 months out at Old Trafford.
Howe also started 17-year-old Lewis Miley and 19-year-old Lewis Hall against City, so there’s definitely reason to believe they can win it this time with their usual starting 11.
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