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Rob DawsonCorrespondent
Erik ten Hag has said Manchester United‘s Carabao Cup final opponents Newcastle United are an “annoying team to play against.”
United and Newcastle meet at Wembley on Sunday with Ten Hag looking to win the first trophy of his Old Trafford reign. The club’s last piece of silverware came in the form of the 2017 Europa League title.
– Carabao Cup final: LIVE Sunday, 11:30 a.m. ET on ESPN+ (U.S.)
Newcastle, looking to win their first major trophy since 1969, have been accused of time-wasting in games by both Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
Only Leeds United have had the ball in play for fewer minutes this season and at his news conference on Friday, Ten Hag made a point of warning his players while also sending a message to referee David Coote.
“They’re an annoying team to play against, so we have to find a way to win,” Ten Hag said. “They try to annoy you. We have to make sure that we play our game and we focus on our game. You see the referee wants to play an effective time.
“They have the lowest in the league and they are quite successful with it. So it’s up to us that we get speed in the game and we are also then dependent on the refereeing as well.”
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is preparing for the game without his first-choice goalkeeper Nick Pope after he was sent off against Liverpool on Saturday.
Second-choice Martin Dubravka is cup-tied after appearing for United in the Carabao Cup during his loan spell which could mean a first competitive game since February 2021 for former Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius.
“It’s an issue for them, what they have to sort, and of course we know it,” Ten Hag said.
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“That definitely is not an advantage but we don’t influence it, they can influence it, the one who is holding [playing] can influence it and of course we have to test it, that is quite obvious.”
Ten Hag, meanwhile, has his own selection problems. Anthony Martial has been ruled out and Marcus Rashford will be assessed after picking up an ankle knock in the 2-1 win over Barcelona on Thursday.
When asked about Rashford, Ten Hag said: “We have to do investigations, medical of course. Straight after the game most of the time you can’t say. We have to wait for a 100% diagnosis, so we have to wait.”
