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The teams are out! Newcastle wear their famous black and white stripes, while Southampton sport a swirling psychedelic aquamarine number that even the heads of Haight-Ashbury ‘67 would have thought twice about wearing out. With the Toon on the verge of reaching their first cup final of the 21st century, the atmosphere at St James’ Park was electric enough already, but it’s been taken up a notch with an on-pitch welcome for new signings Anthony Gordon and Harrison Ashby. Gordon in particular looks thrilled to be there; in terms of sheer buzz and positivity, St James’ is an awfully long way from Goodison Park right now. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes!
Nathan Jones talks to Sky Sports. “We gotta believe we can do it … we have to put in a proper performance because they don’t lose many games, so we have to be at our very best … if we are, we can make a real good game of it … they are in the driving seat, a goal up and at home, but anything can happen in a one-off game and that’s how we’re treating it … we’ve had three games in a week … we’ve had to make sure we are at full energy … today is the strongest side I could put out … James Bree is a good athlete who understands how I want to play … if Che Adams adds a clinical edge he’ll be a top striker … if we start well the atmosphere can be a positive … what a great opportunity, a semi-final at one of the cathedrals of English football … we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
It’s worth remembering that the first leg got a little fractious towards the end. Duje Caleta-Car was sent packing on 87 minutes for his second yellow-card offence, a cynical check on the in-flight Allan Saint-Maximin. His first yellow of the evening could conceivably have been a straight red, too, an equally poor late scythe on Miguel Almiron, who depending on your point of view (cover was close) would otherwise have been clean through on goal. Caleta-Car served his suspension at the weekend as Saints squeaked past Blackpool in the FA Cup, so tonight takes up a place on the bench. In the opposite dugout sits Jacob Murphy, who sarcastically waved goodbye to the Saints defender as he was sent packing last week. By way of response, Caleta-Car briefly thought about throwing his own hands around in a slightly more direct manner, but perhaps wisely opted to depart without further incident. Still, you have to wonder whether Murphy had rashly assumed Caleta-Car wouldn’t be available this week, and what might happen this evening in terms of retribution should both players come off the bench late on with Saints four goals adrift. To be clear, nobody wants to see this game degenerate into a comic-strip dust cloud with fists and boots poking out of it. Won’t somebody think of the children? But it’d be a fascinating scenario nonetheless.
Eddie Howe speaks to Sky. “We’re just very keen to try to perform to our maximum level … there’s a lot of buzz about the team and where we are in the competition … I hope that shows in a positive way today … we want to try to win the game today, and not think about a lead or a cushion, we’ll approach it as though it was a league game.”
He also salutes the £45m signing of Anthony Gordon from Everton. “I’m really pleased to get him, he’s a player of huge potential. He really fits our way of playing. He’ll bring a lot of excitement, he’s really athletic, he’s very much in our mould.”
Newcastle United’s starting XI is unchanged from the first leg. If it ain’t broke, right?
Southampton make four changes to the team sent out last week at St Mary’s. Adam Armstrong, Che Adams, Jan Bednarek and new signing James Bree are in. Sekou Mara, Mislav Orsic and Duje Caleta-Car drop to the bench, while Moussa Djenepo misses out altogether.
The teams
Newcastle United: Pope, Trippier, Botman, Schar, Burn, Guimaraes, Longstaff, Willock, Almiron, Joelinton, Wilson.
Subs: Darlow, Dummett, Lascelles, Saint-Maximin, Ritchie, Lewis, Isak, Murphy, Anderson.
Southampton: Bazunu, Bree, Lyanco, Bednarek, Salisu, Walker-Peters, Diallo, Alcaraz, Ward-Prowse, Armstrong, Adams.
Subs: Caballero, Perraud, Caleta-Car, Lavia, Elyounoussi, Orsic, Aribo, Edozie, Mara.
Preamble
This time last week this happened …
… and now Newcastle United are 90 minutes away from their first appearance in a League Cup final since 1976. Can Southampton, finalists in 1979 and 2017, haul themselves back into contention? If they can, and the aggregate score is level at the end of the match, it’ll extra time and possibly penalties. A world of possibility stretches out in front of both teams. Kick off is at 8pm GMT. It’s on!
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