Micah Richards has apologized to Newcastle United fans after mocking the club’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester United last season.
Newcastle are still fighting in the league cup, with a quarter-final against Chelsea just around the horizon, but it’s impossible to forget last year’s final defeat to Manchester United.
Richards, who appeared on The Rest Is Football with Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker, slammed Newcastle for losing the Carabao Cup final after Shearer noted they were still in the competition.
Richards pokes fun at Newcastle defeat
Newcastle lost at the final hurdle after the most entertaining cup run in almost two decades, and their lengthy quest for a domestic trophy would continue for another year.
It’s left a sour taste in Newcastle fans’ mouths, but the team appears to be ready to compete for the cup again and, after beating Manchester United and Manchester City, have no reason to feel they can’t go all the way this time.
Shearer attempted to provide an optimistic outlook on what has been a difficult couple of weeks in the North East on the show.
“The last couple of weeks haven’t been great in the league,” Shearer stated on The Rest Is Football. Bournemouth’s result was dismal, as were their performances in the Champions League.
“They have a lot of injuries, which isn’t helping; the international break would have done them the world of good, and I’m hoping to see at least two or three players return.” The Tonali situation has worked against them. They are still competing in the Carabao Cup and the Champions League…”
“Still in the Carabao Cup [laughing]!” Lineker added.
“Didn’t they knock Manchester United out?” Shearer wondered.
Richards then commented on the cup defeat, saying, “Last year you bottled it, what are you talking about!”
“Shut up, you idiot!” Shearer retorted.
However, Richards promptly apologized, realizing that he had gone too far: “I love the Toon, I didn’t mean that, and I apologize to the Toon!” “I apologize!”
Newcastle can go all the way this year
Newcastle may have tasted defeat last time, but there’s every reason to believe that this will make the players hungrier for a trophy this time round, especially with Eddie Howe motivating them to succeed. With last years winners and Premier League champions already knocked out at the hands of Newcastle, Howe’s team can go into that quarter-final tie with confidence knowing that they can beat anyone. If they were to go one step further this time, nobody could say they haven’t’ deserved it after being drawn against Man City, Man United and Chelsea with Arsenal and Liverpool still both in the competition.
It’s even more impressive when you look at the teams in both of those previous ties – Paul Dummett started at the back in both, partnering Emil Krafth who made his return from injury after 14 months out at Old Trafford. Howe also started 17-year-old Lewis Miley and 19-year-old Lewis Hall against City, so there’s definitely reason to believe they can win it this time with their usual starting 11.
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