An unusual situation could force Loris Karius into a starting role for Newcastle against Manchester United in the EFL Cup final.

A moment of madness from Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope against Liverpool may have brought former Reds Loris Karius back into the spotlight. Pope earned a freezing red card – despite what Eddie Howe thinks – after deliberately handling the ball well outside his own penalty area, denying Mohamed Salah a goalscoring opportunity.

Newcastle face Manchester United in the EFL Cup final next Sunday and will likely be forced to start Karius with a Pope suspension and a Martin Dúbravka Cup tie.

Asked after the match whether Newcastle should turn to Karius, Jürgen Klopp shared his confidence in the ex-Liverpool goalkeeper. “Yeah, I’ve heard of that,” Klopp said of the likely starting Karius. “I think they can absolutely rely on him, there’s no doubt about that. He’s a great goalkeeper, that’s why Newcastle signed him. But obviously bad luck for Nick Pope at the moment.”

For Karius, it’s an opportunity for a little redemption after a difficult road in recent years. The German goalkeeper was unable to hold down a regular starting place after suffering a concussion in the Champions League final for Liverpool and subsequently losing confidence. “Definitely (a good opportunity for him),” Klopp said. “That’s what he worked for all along, absolutely.”