DANNY MURPHY: Playing without your goalkeeper changes your mindset

DANNY MURPHY: It changes the mindset of a team if your regular goalkeeper is not behind you… I would be amazed if Manchester United have not worked on a way to exploit Newcastle’s biggest weakness with Nick Pope out of the Carabao Cup final

  • Loris Karius will be in goal at Wembley to face Manchester United in the cup final
  • The Red Devils will have been working on how to target Karius at Wembley
  • I know from experience, it does change the mindset when your ‘keeper can’t play

I would be amazed if Manchester United haven’t spent time working out a way to exploit Loris Karius at Wembley today.

Football is ruthless at the top level. While most people will feel sympathy for Nick Pope missing out through suspension, Erik ten Hag’s players will do whatever they can to take full advantage of Karius or Mark Gillespie coming in from the cold.

I remember facing Spurs when Heurelho Gomes was having a bad time. We worked solidly on inswinging deliveries and it paid off. 

He dropped one in and we [Fulham] won 2-1. Karius hasn’t played for a year and is still defined by his mistakes for Liverpool in the Champions League final.

United will practise set-pieces so he’s put under maximum pressure. If he catches the first couple, fair enough, move on to something else. 

Loris Karius will most likely start for Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final vs Manchester United

The goalkeeper is still defined by his mistakes for Liverpool in the Champions League final

But the important thing is to give him a test, see if he can cope with the situation. Any final is hard enough for a goalkeeper, doubly so when it’s their first game of the season.

Newcastle won’t write their chances off because of one enforced selection change and their defensive record this season suggests they are better equipped than most to protect the German.

But I know from my own dressing-room experiences, it does change the mindset when your regular keeper isn’t behind you. 

Defenders may decide to turn and clear for a corner rather than pass it back. Marking at set-pieces becomes more nervy.

I’d probably select Karius ahead of Gillespie because he has played at a higher level throughout his career. 

It would be nonsensical to suddenly turn round and say: “We can’t play Karius because he performed badly in a high-profile match in 2018.”


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