Martin Dubravka: will goalkeeper get Carabao Cup winners medal if Newcastle lose to Manchester United?

Martin Dubravka has described Newcastle United’s goalkeeping crisis as being like a “movie” ahead of his team’s Carabao Cup final fixture with Manchester United.

Eddie Howe’s side travel to Wembley without both of their first two goalkeepers as they look to end their 54 year wait for silverware. First choice goalkeeper Nick Pope was ruled out of the Wembley showdown after his red card against Liverpool, while Dubravka is also missing from the matchday squad after a six month loan stint at opponents Man Utd.

The Slovakian shot stopper made two appearances during his time with the Red Devils, both of which came in the Carabao Cup. The 34-year-old is cup tied for the fixture and unable to represent the Magpies at Wembley Stadium. However, that won’t necessarily stop Dubravka from claiming a winner’s medal.

Why is Martin Dubravka unable to play in the Carabao Cup final?

Martin Dubravka completed a £2 million loan deal to join Manchester United from Newcastle last summer in a bid to provide further competition for David de Gea.

The 34-year-old spent most of his time with Manchester United on the bench and he made just two appearances for the club, both of which came in the Carabao Cup, where The Red Devils beat Aston Villa and Burnley.

Dubravka’s stay at Old Trafford was cut short in January when the Magpies opted to recall the player from his loan spell however, he is unable to play in the cup final as he is cup tied. Section 6.4 of the EFL regulations states: “No registered player shall play for one than one club in the competition in any one season.”

Can Martin Dubravka still get a Carabao Cup winner’s medal?

Martin Dubravka may be watching the Carabao Cup final from the sidelines, but there is still a chance of him receiving a winners medal at the end of the game and it could come from either side.

Clubs get a total of 19 medals to hand out to their matchday squads immediately after the final, plus 11 more at a later date to hand out at their discretion. These medals are usually split between the players who have featured in the earlier rounds of the tournament and members of the coaching staff.

Manchester United and Newcastle United have both used a total of 25 players in the Carabao Cup this season and it is likely that many of the staff involved could be handed a medal. It’s also worth noting that, similar to the winner, the losing side also gets a total of 30 runners-up medals, which Dubravka could be in contention for.

What has Martin Dubravka said ahead of the cup final?

Martin Dubravka finds himself in an odd position heading into the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.

Dubravka said: “I played two games for Manchester United, so I knew that I can’t play in the final or be there for the players. It’s a very strange situation for me, but that sometimes happens and hopefully it’s up to someone else to show they can play in front of 90,000 people.”

Dubravka added: “It will be very difficult to watch this game. I’ve been asked about it a lot, but of course I want Newcastle to win because I’ve spent so many years here and I’m very grateful for the chance the club gave me in English football. You don’t need to ask me that.”

Loris Karius and Mark Gillespie are both competing for a starting spot in the Newcastle goal ahead of the Carabao Cup final.