The Newcastle United match-winner who can upset Carabao Cup final odds

Erik ten Hag’s side, still in four competitions, are on an incredible run of form.

And the club goes into Sunday’s game at Wembley buoyed by a two-legged Europa League win over Barcelona, though, worryingly for Ten Hag, striker Marcus Rashford was forced off with an injury late in the game.

Newcastle, by contrast, have stuttered off late, winning just one of their last five Premier League games. Also, Howe will be without first-choice goalkeeper Nick Pope, suspended following last weekend’s dismissal in the defeat to Liverpool, for the game.

Loris Karius is set to make his Newcastle debut at Wembley with just 45 minutes of a friendly under his best this season, though Eddie Howe is confident that the 29-year-old is ready to play.

On the plus side, Howe has Bruno Guimaraes back from suspension – and the midfielder, unquestionably, is a match-winner.

Despite the frustration of recent results, Newcastle fans should be heartened by one thing – the resilience of their team. Howe’s side have only been beaten by Liverpool in the league so far this season, and even when they went down to 10 men last Saturday, they were competitive.

I’m not going to predict the result of the final – anything can happen over 90 or 120 minutes, and I don't want to tempt fate – but it’ll almost certainly be a close, keenly-contested game.

Newcastle have been fiercely competitive week in, week out so far this season – and they can certainly upset the odds.