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Only one of last year’s EFL Cup finalists can join the 2023–24 quarter-final draw, when Manchester United face Newcastle United in Wednesday’s fourth-round clash at Old Trafford.
Erik ten Hag’s men cruised into the last 16 after scoring three goals without reply against Crystal Palace, while the Magpies destroyed Manchester City’s quadruple dreams with a thrilling one-goal victory.
Match preview
Man United’s powers have waned dramatically since leaving Eddie Howe’s men crestfallen at Wembley while they celebrated the end of their six-year trophy drought, and the defending EFL Cup champions were nothing short of awful in Sunday’s Manchester derby.
Ten Hag’s tepid troops were brought crashing back down to earth by an Erling Haaland brace before the Norwegian turned provider for Phil Foden to tap home, leading to a cacophony of jeers at full time as the Theatre of Dreams turned into an auditorium of nightmares.
The triple winners under Pep Guardiola ruthlessly ended Man United’s three-game winning streak on Sunday, but the Red Devils’ prior victories against Brentford, Copenhagen, and Sheffield United still left a plenty to be desired, despite their 3-0 win over Palace in round three being a rare delightful experience.
Man United enter Wednesday’s showdown having progressed from each of their last five fourth-round EFL Cup ties, and the Red Devils have not been knocked out at this stage since a penalty shootout loss to Middlesbrough in 2015.
However, having seen their beloved team suffer their seventh defeat of the season – and a fifth in their first ten Premier League games for the first time since the 1986-87 season – some glass-half-empty Man United fans may already be preparing for the end of their EFL Cup defence against a side who achieved what they could not.
Indeed, Man United could have done worse than to ask Newcastle – or indeed Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers – for a few pointers on how to deal with Man City, whose EFL Cup dreams came to a swift end at the hands of Howe’s hopefuls in round three, where Alexander Isak produced the pivotal moment.
The Magpies’ beating of the European champions came in the middle of a magnificent purple patch, in which they humiliated Sheffield United 8-0 and also put Paris Saint-Germain to the sword in emphatic fashion, but Howe’s men have not covered themselves in glory over the past fortnight.
Only one of Newcastle’s last four battles has ended in victory – a 4-0 crushing of Crystal Palace – while a 1-0 Champions League loss to Borussia Dortmund has been complemented by a pair of 2-2 draws with West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers, the latter of whom came from behind twice to snatch a point at the weekend.
Failure to cling onto their slender leads against Wolves means that Newcastle head to Old Trafford with just one win to show from their last six away matches, but the Magpies have not been beaten in an EFL Cup fourth-round tie since the 2004-05 campaign, prevailing in each of their last nine contests at this stage.
Defeat at Wembley in the 2022-23 showpiece stretched Newcastle’s winless run against Man United to seven matches, but the first half of their revenge mission was completed at St James’ Park only a few weeks later in a thoroughly-deserved 2-0 success – part two now involves attempting to dethrone their off-colour Carabao conquerors.
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Team News
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As was the case against Manchester City, all of Luke Shaw (muscle), Amad Diallo (knee), Tyrell Malacia (knee), and Lisandro Martinez (foot) will be unavailable for the Red Devils on Wednesday, while Jadon Sancho has now been excluded from the main group of players for two months.
Neither Casemiro nor Aaron Wan-Bissaka were declared fit to face the Citizens, but both should be able to shake off their injuries in time for Newcastle’s visit, where Ten Hag should not be afraid to rotate his under-performing players.
Raphael Varane, Sergio Reguilon, Mason Mount, Alejandro Garnacho, and a fit-again Kobbie Mainoo might all provide something new, but after selecting Andre Onana over Altay Bayindir against Palace, Ten Hag appears ready to continue with the Cameroonian.
Meanwhile, Newcastle officially began life without Sandro Tonali over the weekend, as the Italy international’s 10-month ban for betting violations took effect, meaning the £55m summer signing will not be back in the black and white jersey until August.
Harvey Barnes (ankle), Elliot Anderson (back), Jacob Murphy (shoulder), Lewis Miley (sickness), and third-round matchwinner Isak (groin) will also be unavailable to Howe, while Sven Botman’s knee injury is unlikely to heal in time for Wednesday’s match.
Having not been afraid to make a few alterations against Man City, Howe could place his trust in the likes of Tino Livramento, Matt Targett and Joe Willock, who opened the scoring in April’s two-goal success over the Red Devils.
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Reguilon; Amrabat, Eriksen; Antony, Mount, Garnacho; Hojlund
Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Pope; Livramento, Schar, Lascelles, Targett; Willock, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Almiron, Wilson, Gordon
