Manchester United v Newcastle United: Carabao Cup VAR, extra-time and penalty shootout rules - explained

Newcastle United defeated Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City to book their place in Round 4 of the Carabao Cup. Their reward for knocking out the treble winners was a trip to face Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Newcastle haven’t won a match away against Manchester United since December 2013 when a solitary Yohan Cabaye goal downed David Moyes’ side. Although injuries are piling up on Tyneside, they will travel to Manchester with some optimism that they can pile more misery onto Erik ten Hag’s side.

Backed by a sell-out away crowd of over 7,000 fans, Newcastle will want to put in a good performance against the side that defeated them at Wembley in last season’s final back in February. With a tight match potentially on the cards, here, we take a look at all the rules surrounding VAR, extra-time and penalties that Newcastle United fans need to know about:

Is VAR used in the Carabao Cup?

VAR will not be in operation at Old Trafford. Carabao Cup rules dictate that VAR will only be used from the semi-final stage onwards.

Newcastle United saw Bruno Guimaraes handed a red card in last season’s semi-final second-leg against Southampton after referee Paul Tierney, who initially showed the Brazilian a yellow card, was advised to change his decision by the technology. Both teams also had goals ruled-out by VAR in the first-leg of that tie down at St Mary’s.

Is there extra-time and penalties in the Carabao Cup?

There will be no extra-time played at Old Trafford this evening, meaning a draw after 90 minutes will result in the tie being decided by a penalty shootout. Much like VAR, extra-time is only introduced at the semi-final stage.

Eddie Howe’s penalty shootout verdict

With the potential of a shootout if the game is level after 90 minutes, Howe was asked whether his team had been practicing penalties. He told the Gazette: “We certainly have players that practice penalties on a regular basis. 

“We have a core of six or seven penalty takers that enjoy penalties and enjoy the challenge with the goalkeepers. We have some very good penalty takers within the squad and maybe some that are maybe more reluctant as I was as a player.

“Certainly when the pressure is on, it is very, very different to practicing them in training. I have to say the guys who have taken penalties for us for a long period of time have done a really good job.”

Newcastle United’s penalty shootout record…

Traditionally, the Magpies have not enjoyed a great record from the penalty spot and have lost eight of the eleven competitive shootouts they have been involved in. However, their first ever penalty shootout win came in the League Cup against Watford back in 2006.

They also defeated Crystal Palace on penalties en-route to last season’s final, their second triumph in three shootouts having defeated Newport County from the spot in 2021. However, recent shootout defeats to Burnley, Leicester City and Hull City in this competition will still haunt supporters, particularly their one against the Tigers in the quarter-final of the competition back in 2016.