TITLE DEFENSE: NEWCASTLE HOST INJURY-HIT MAN CITY IN CARABAO CUP SEMI-FINAL THRILLER
Eddie Howe vs Pep Guardiola: The Carabao Cup semi-final first leg is here. Will Newcastle continue their home winning streak?
Newcastle United have a shot at defending their Carabao Cup title as they welcome Manchester City to St. James’ Park for the first leg of the semi-final on Tuesday night.
Last season, the Magpies finally broke their 70-year trophy drought, taking down Liverpool 2–1 at Wembley. Now, Eddie Howe’s squad are riding a four-game unbeaten streak since they lost 1–0 to Manchester United in December. That run includes wins over Burnley, Crystal Palace, and Leeds United in the Premier League.
They come into this game on the back of a wild FA Cup third-round win, squeezing past Bournemouth 7–6 on penalties. The mood around the club is buzzing, but Howe knows City won’t make it easy. He’s counting on the home crowd to make a difference.
“Everyone wants the home leg second, so you know exactly what you need, and you’ve got the fans behind you,” Howe said. “We don’t have that luxury this time. We need to use the home crowd from the start and give everything to set the tone.”
Newcastle are chasing a fifth straight home win. Howe likes the two-leg format of the semi-final, even if the challenge feels huge.
“We enjoyed the format last year, and the break between the games helped us reset,” he said. “It’s the same this time.
“This is a real test. City is the hardest team to face over two legs in England.
“They always adjust their tactics, even when they’re missing players. But we’re focused on ourselves—what we can do to hurt them.”
Newcastle are missing Dan Burn, Emil Krafth, Fabian Schär, Jamaal Lascelles, and William Osula with injuries. Anthony Elanga is still a doubt.
On the other side, Manchester City arrive unbeaten in their last 12 games since their 2–0 Champions League loss to Bayer Leverkusen in December. Pep Guardiola’s team are flying high after smashing Exeter City 10–1 in the FA Cup third round. Still, their last trip to St. James’ Park ended in a 2–1 league loss back in November.
Guardiola expects another tough night.
“Since Eddie Howe arrived, Newcastle has been a nightmare to play against,” Guardiola said. “They win so many games late on, the crowd gets loud, and the stadium’s intense. It’s been like this for a while, and honestly, if we’d drawn Arsenal, it would be just as tough.”
City will be without Rúben Dias, Joško Gvardiol, John Stones, and Savinho due to injuries.
EDDIE HOWE CONFIRMS NEWCASTLE LINEUP SHIFTS ARE PART OF A MAJOR FUTURE STRATEGY
Eddie Howe confirms he is picking Newcastle lineups with next season in mind, trialling players like Ramsey and Woltemade early.
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe isn’t pretending he’s already thinking about next season. People have been saying Kieran Trippier is close to triggering a payment if he plays more games, so that might influence whether he features again before the season ends. But Howe brushed that off and said he’s making his decisions purely for football reasons.
Talking to reporters at the City Ground about why Anthony Gordon was missing, Howe admitted he’s picking his lineup with the future in mind. Later, in his press conference, he went into more detail about focusing on what comes next at St James’ Park.
"We’re definitely looking ahead," Howe said. "You can see it in some of the choices I’m making with the team. I want to get a look at some players and see how they might grow into the squad."
One of those players is Jacob Ramsey, who came off the bench, set up Harvey Barnes with a great pass, and really changed the game. "I thought Jacob Ramsey was brilliant when he came on against Forest. He really made a difference, and so did Harvey. It’s good to see players taking their chances," Howe said.
He added, "We have to be thinking about the future now and what the team’s going to look like next year. That’s our responsibility at this point."
Before the match, Howe surprised a lot of fans by starting Lewis Hall at right-back, Nick Woltemade in midfield, and pushing Joelinton further forward than usual. Again, Howe explained he wants to see what players can do in different positions.
"It wasn’t some huge change from Brighton; we kept the same shape," Howe said. "But for Nick, this was only one of a few times he’s started in that role for us. He played alongside Will, and they haven’t had much time together either.
"There were positives for Nick, but he wasn’t involved as much as we wanted in the first half. We still need to see his best on the ball. In the second half, though, I thought we got better as a team. We attacked more and looked like a real threat as the match wore on."
MAGPIES EYE £1M BARGAIN TIAGO GABRIEL TO SOLVE GROWING DEFENSIVE INJURY CRISIS
Newcastle are leading the race against Juventus for Tiago Gabriel, the 21-year-old Serie A defensive sensation.
Newcastle United appear to be keeping an eye on Lecce’s young defender Tiago Gabriel as they consider potential options for the summer transfer window.
With Fabian Schar’s contract due to expire at the end of June, the Magpies are preparing for the possibility of his departure. Although an extension is still on the table, Schar has been sidelined since early January because of an ankle injury and doesn't seem close to making a comeback.
At 21, Gabriel has featured 36 times across all competitions this season for Lecce, who are currently four points clear of the Serie A relegation zone. Newcastle’s recruitment team is among those following his development, seemingly interested in exploring a move once the transfer window opens.
Back in December, reports surfaced that both West Ham and Juventus were also tracking Gabriel’s progress. The young defender, who came through Sporting CP’s academy, has had a strong season and will enter the final year of his contract this summer.
Gabriel transferred to Lecce last January for slightly over £1 million, moving from Portuguese club Estrela Amadora. Should he leave this summer, a significantly higher fee might be expected, reflecting his rise in form.
Before joining Estrela Amadora, Gabriel had been part of Setúbal's academy after leaving Sporting in 2020. His performances have earned him regular appearances for Portugal’s Under-21 side, and senior international opportunities may not be far off.
A switch to the Premier League could potentially boost his profile substantially, but he will likely weigh his options with some care.
According to O Jogo, Newcastle continue to monitor his situation keenly as interest around the defender grows.
Regarding Fabian Schar’s future, things remain uncertain even with just weeks left on his current deal. While Kieran Trippier has been publicly confirmed to be leaving upon contract expiration, no similar announcement has come for Schar.
Last week, Howe commented on the defender’s status, noting that no definitive decision has been made yet. He emphasised Schar’s value to the team, pointing out his unique role as a ball-playing defender and his versatility in various defensive setups.
Schar’s influence on the pitch and experience are clearly appreciated, and the club hopes he can regain full fitness before the season concludes. As for any new contract talks, Howe suggested it’s a matter of waiting to see how things unfold.
