While Loris Karius is in the frame to start for Newcastle United at Wembley on Sunday due to Karl Darlow’s loan move to Hull City, it was never necessarily a given that Darlow would have been picked had he not moved.
Karius and Darlow are ‘on par’
The Athletic have suggested that the belief amongst the staff at Newcastle is that, “Darlow and Karius are pretty much on par as goalkeepers” and that Karius’ “big game experience” may have meant that he would have been trusted in the Carabao Cup final ahead of Darlow even if the 32-year-old hadn’t gone out on loan.
Karius has, as we all know by now, played in a Champions League final, as disastrous as that was, it’s still a level of experience that Karl Darlow just hasn’t had. The German ‘keeper was an integral part of Liverpool’s journey to that final, taking an elbow to the head from Sergio Ramos for his troubles, which resulted in a concussion and a comedy of errors later in the game for which Karius has become infamous.
While the report also admits “that there has been no pretence among the coaching staff that losing Pope is anything but a hammer blow”, the general consensus is that Newcastle’s goalkeeping stock is good enough to face up to the challenge.
No crystal balls at Benton
Eddie Howe hasn’t shied away from the fact that he’d have done things differently if he’d known how this would turn out, especially in terms of the loan deals which now see Martin Dubravka ineligible and Karl Darlow unavailable, but as Howe doesn’t employ Mystic Meg as part of his backroom staff, he has to work with what’s available to him.
Thankfully, one decision Howe made this season has paid off – offering Loris Karius a contract extension. Obviously it’s highly unlikely that Karl Darlow would have been allowed to move to Hull had Karius not agreed to stay, but there exists a reality where Newcastle could have been left with just Mark Gillespie as a first-team ready option going into a League Cup final.
As it stands, Newcastle are taking youngster Max Thompson down to London as cover should anything happen to Karius or Gillespie … could you imagine?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I believe in Karius. I back him to produce the goods on Sunday against Manchester United.