Newcastle head coach Matthias Jaissle (Image: John Walton)
Newcastle head coach Matthias Jaissle (Image: John Walton)
MATTHIAS Jaissle has promised to go "all in" on the Carabao Cup.
And with that in mind, the Newcastle United head coach won't be ringing the changes for Thursday night's fourth round tie at Everton.
Jaissle wants to build momentum after Sunday's Premier League win at Crystal Palace and also wants to go deep in a competition that the Magpies have enjoyed real success in in recent seasons.
United might again be without Matias Fernandez-Pardo and Lewis Miley at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, however. Both players missed Sunday's game at Selhurst Park - Fernandez-Pardo after illness and Miley because of a knock - and Jaissle confirmed both are "still doubts" for the cup tie.
He will also continue to closely monitor Anthony Elanga and Jacob Ramsey over the next day or so before deciding whether the pair, who both returned to squad on Sunday after spells out injured, are ready to step up and start.
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Jaissle might opt to make one or two alterations for the game but he wants to go as strong as possible.
"We will go all in," said Newcastle's boss.
"The fans have huge expectations and we do as well. They have had a taste now of winning the competition and even though the circumstances are different after what happened in the summer we will try our best.
"Due to the history of the club in the competition I have the same approach to play with the best possible line-up. We are getting huge away support, 8,000 fans with us, which shows the importance about that competition and we will be aligned with that and go all in."
He added: "We want to win the match, independent of who is playing. We still have two days to make the final decision, but you can be sure that we want to go with a really strong XI into this game."
While Jaissle was understandably reluctant to be specific on individual players, he strongly hinted that Lukas Hornicek will start in goal on Thursday night in the absence of the injured Ewen Jaouen, who started in the second round victory over West Brom.
With Jaouen working his way back from injury, Nick Pope has been the deputy keeper of late but Hornicek is expected to wear the gloves on Thursday, as he did in the third round victory at Millwall.
Jaissle said: "It is always a balance right? To rotate, but also, on the other hand, to find stabilisation.
"We rotated in the centre-back and forward positions quite a lot, so now it is also time to bring more stability in more matches to have consecutive wins. Therefore, we need to have the right balance, and therefore, you can't expect too many changes."
Updating on Fernandez-Pardo and Miley, Jaissle said: "These two players are still doubts and question marks if they can make it. Still two days to decide if they are able to be in the squad but we don't want to take any additional risk."
And on Elanga and Ramsey, Jaissle added: "Again, without picking now already the starting XI and telling you, both of them making progress day by day.
"You see their physicality is getting better and better. When there's the time to start, I will not tell you right now, but the progress is obviously to see."
After successive defeats to Coventry City and Aston Villa, Newcastle got back on track with Sunday's much-needed win in the capital.
Jaissle said: "The mood was excellent [after] and it felt a bit different. The press conference afterwards was the shortest one, so that is something I am now aware of – if you win you get asked less questions!
"In general, wins help to have confidence and a better mood within the squad. Before, the commitment and the belief was always there even when there was a setback. But this group are mature enough to stick together also when it is stormy."