Manchester City lie in wait and it's a tough test - but nothing is impossible
Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe (c) reacts after the Carabao Cup semi final first leg
View Image
What Geordies are being forced to contemplate is the probable end of our reign as Carabao Cup holders, a cherished position after so long with no need for a bottle of silver polish.
This Wednesday night Newcastle must descend into the blue half of Manchester two goals down and needing a massive swing in fortunes to make it back to Wembley. Not impossible, nothing is in a two horse race, but hardly an everyday occurrence especially for this United.
The size of the task can be underlined by many things - shocking away form, four goals shipped at Liverpool, and the fact that the last Magpie to score at City was DeAndre Yedlin way back in September 2018. That's 690 minutes of barren play.
There is always a price to pay for squandering obvious advantage which is what United did at SJP. Now it'll need an inspirational Pep talk from Eddie Howe and a huge dollop of luck to change what every neutral and City supporter is expecting.
If Geordies (and the club) can moan about being in the middle of a dreadful run of away games, stretched to seven out of eight through the Champions League first leg at Qarabag, then it can be argued they ought to have taken better advantage of a string of home matches immediately before their constant travel. We had six of seven at St James Park but sacrificed our league cup advantage to City and dropped poor points to Aston Villa who await us in the FA Cup.
Do United need skipper Bruno fit and firing as soon as possible, both as an influential midfielder who is the heartbeat of the team and a lucky mascot? You betya. It won't happen in time for the Carabao Cup return but may it be ASAP. Same with Lewi Miley.
However Howe also has massive problems at the back. Malick Thiaw is in desperate need of a rest after 32 consecutive appearances. Mistakes are beginning to creep into his game. And Kevin Trippier is looking every one of his 35 years while deputising for Tino Livramento who will be missing for a lot longer. The obvious answer would have been the transfer market but the deadline has come and gone, more is the pity.
If Newcastle have threatened of late to make the league cup their domestic trophy of preference with two Wembley finals and a semi-final then City are at another level. They have claimed the trophy eight times including four Wembley victories on the bounce from 2018 to 2021.
They of course defeated United 2-1 in our first final of 1976 with a spectacular overhead kick from a Geordie of all people Dennis Tueart.
While Newcastle face the looming prospect of elimination one step short of their target let them go out fighting if they are downed. They owe that to the travelling contingent of 5,359 supporters loyal to the end.
Nothing is over till the fat lady sings and though she had cleared her throat the first note has still to be hit. So let pride and courage walk hand in hand.
By the way we must say a fond farewell to Jamaal Lascelles who has left us for Leicester City after almost 12 years of service.
Lascelles joined during the tough Mike Ashley era, captained United on our way to the Championship title, helped us survive in the Premier League under Rafa Benitez and Steve Bruce, and kept Kylian Mbappe quiet in the Champions League all the while being a huge influence off the field as well as on it where he played a whopping 253 times. He earned our gratitude twice over.
FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK!Keep up with all the Newcastle United latest via the Chronicle’s dedicated Facebook page
Content cannot be displayed without consent