With under an hour until Newcastle’s biggest game in over 20 years kicks off – the Carabao Cup semi-final second-leg, the team news has been released.
Eddie Howe has once again named an unchanged side to the one that has been struggling to score goals consistently over the last five games:
HOWAY NEWCASTLE! ✊#NEWSOU pic.twitter.com/jxQ7TlVRQz
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) January 31, 2023
I was among the many fans who wanted to see a change up front with Alexander Isak given his chance from the start, especially given Callum Wilson’s baren run in front of goal lately. However, as I said last time out, Wilson can’t break that duck if he’s not on the pitch and it does speak to the faith Eddie has in this eleven that he believes it’s still the right team to win us the game.
Of course that does mean that we have the option of Isak and Allan Saint-Maximin to come off the bench later on when Southampton are tired and tear down the flanks and through the middle, pulling their defence out of position like they did in the first leg to great effect.
Nathan Jones has made a couple of changes it seems, Duje Caleta-Car, who is available following his red-card in the first leg, has been dropped to the bench.
YOUR SAINTS 🌊
Here’s our line-up for the second leg of the @Carabao_Cup semi-final against #NUFC: pic.twitter.com/3JFuizPDbR
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) January 31, 2023
Former Newcastle player, Adam Armstrong gets the not up front alongside Che Adams too. Armstrong looked like Southampton’s biggest threat last time round, even getting the ball in the back of the net, albeit via his hand.
It seems Southampton will pose more of a threat this time around with the changes Jones has made, but with the home advantage and the one-goal cushion, this is our game to lose.