While Sky Sports may be billing this as an opportunity for Newcastle Utd to overcome the disappointment of last seasons Carabao Cup final, in reality the club, team and supporters have moved on and it is Manchester Utd who are looking to reprise February’s cup win in the hope that it provides a much-needed spark to their season.
And revenge was not on the lips of Eddie Howe when he met the press ahead of the fixture, simply saying: "That is not our emotion as I sit here now, my emotion is just to prepare to try and win the game. One win and we're into the quarter-final of the competition, we loved our run last year and we're determined to try and do as well as we can despite the fact we do have a few injuries. The squad will be stretched to a degree, but we'll still try to be competitive."
Joe Willock continued his re-introduction to first team action over the last two games appearing from the bench on both occasions but whether he is ready for a start remains in doubt.
Howe will again be without the services of Botman, Anderson, Barnes, Isak, Murphy and the suspended Tonali, while Javier Manquillo has joined the absentee list having picked up a groin injury in training.
Manchester Utd should be smarting after their humiliating derby defeat to Manchester City on Sunday afternoon but whether that is the case remains to be seen as words of an unsettled squad start to emanate from their Carrington training base. Sunday’s defeat was Ten Hag’s team’s seventh in all competitions this season. And while the dutchman has dismissed talk of his future being in jeopardy, he cancelled his face-to-face meeting with the press on Tuesday and simply put his words out in the form of a written statement.
KO tonight is 8:15PM GMT.
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