Manchester United v Newcastle: How to back a 7/1 Bet Builder in the League Cup final

• Ten Hag chasing first trophy

• Howe's impressive cup record

• Newcastle looking for Man Utd revenge

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As Manchester United and Newcastle United prepare to lock horns at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, fans of both teams will be looking to end what they'll view as long waits for silverware.

The Magpies last won a trophy of any kind back in 1969, when they lifted the Fairs Cup - a predecessor to the current Europa League - by beating Újpest on aggregate in the two-legged final.

The Europa League itself was Man Utd's most recent trophy, thanks to a 2-0 victory over Ajax in 2017, but for fans accustomed to regular league titles in the 90s and 2000s this may well feel like a lifetime ago.

Both teams had unusually straightforward paths to the final, with neither facing a team currently in the top half of the Premier League along the way. Man Utd cruised past Nottingham Forest in their semi-final, winning 5-0 on aggregate, while Newcastle's slightly narrower win over Southampton also involved home and away victories.

Different preparations

Man Utd have been in fine form in the league, while their last game ahead of the final saw them earn a hard-fought win against Barcelona in the Europa League.

Newcastle have had more time to prepare, but Eddie Howe's side have problems of their own, though they will at least welcome Bruno Guimarães back from suspension after his red card in the semis.

Newcastle are winless in four in the league, with the last of those games - a defeat at home to Liverpool - seeing goalkeeper Nick Pope sent off. Pope's deputy Martin Dúbravka is cup-tied after featuring during a loan spell with Sunday's opponents, meaning Loris Karius or Mark Gillespie - neither of whom have played a minute of senior football this term - will start at Wembley.

The team from the north east may now be worried about a fifth successive final defeat, one of which came against Man Utd in 1999. That was an FA Cup final, when early substitute Teddy Sheringham opened the scoring for the eventual treble winners and Paul Scholes sealed victory with a second half effort.

Wembley woes

Newcastle are coming off eight straight defeats at Wembley - the worst losing run for any team at the stadium. Their opponents, meanwhile, are very used to matches at the national stadium.

No team has played more games at Wembley than United, who have travelled down 53 times (only including games where Wembley served as a neutral venue). Only 20 of those have come since the stadium's 2007 reopening, though, with Chelsea and Manchester City still ahead of them when it comes to the last 16 years.

Still, the favourites will be up against a manager who has an enviable record in the competition. Eddie Howe has overseen 22 victories in the League Cup, the same number as Pep Guardiola, with no manager boasting more since Howe's first game in the competition in 2009-10.

Potential firsts

Newcastle striker Callum Wilson scored four goals in 11 League Cup games at previous club Bournemouth, with all of them coming during Howe's tenure, but has never netted in the competition for the Magpies.

If he breaks that duck, he would become the first player to score for both England and Newcastle at the new Wembley, with only Jackie Milburn and Rob Lee achieving the feat at the stadium before it reopened.

The opposition have a chance for a first of their own, though, with Erik ten Hag the focus.

Not only is the former Ajax boss looking to win his first trophy in English football, but he is attempting to become the first Dutch coach to win the League Cup after three - Ruud Gullit and Guus Hiddink at Chelsea and Louis van Gaal at Man Utd - won the FA Cup.

Manchester United v Newcastle United prediction

A completely free £2 bet builder applies to the League Cup final, though you must opt-in to take advantage.

We have an eye on Marcus Rashford when it comes to our prediction. The England international has been in frightening form since returning from the World Cup, while he has been involved in 18 goals across 15 games (and seven in five appearances this season) in the League Cup over the years.

Newcastle's poor form, coupled with Pope's suspension, will leave them with a challenge at Wembley. We are looking at Man Utd -1, more than 0.5 first half goals and Rashford to score any time, which is available at 7.65.