This is why Newcastle United are going to win the Carabao Cup again

In 92 days time, Newcastle United are going to retain the Carabao Cup.

Bookmark this article and 13 weeks tomorrow, have another read of this below after we have won at Wembley.

Believe me, we are going to do it, again.

I don’t think I have ever felt so buoyant after a 2-2 draw at home, having led 2-0.

Of course I am gutted that it wasn’t a win and three points against Chelsea.

However, this is one day, one match, if you aren’t now brimming over with excitement at what is possible to come now, having watched Newcastle 2 Chelsea 2, then I don’t know what you need.

That first half performance was absolutely stunning. Chelsea were blown away.

Newcastle United should have been 5-0 up at the break and not only 2-0. The cockneys couldn’t live with us.

Then when Chelsea came back to 2-2, I was really impressed with how the final half hour (including added time) saw Newcastle bounce back instead of folding. It became end to end stuff BUT once again the best chances were Newcastle’s and we just didn’t finish them.

The thing is, I think Newcastle can play even better than they did in the first half.

Plus, when we get players back off the injured list and once Yoane Wissa is absolutely back to full sharpness, plus their teammates learning more and more how to get the best out of them, then we can really go to Toon.

Nick Pope will be back shortly and he will help us massively at the back. I think Ramsdale is ok but I reckon he is conceding maybe on average a goal per game that Pope wouldn’t have conceded. I think today that Pope would have saved James’ free-kick and one on ones like Pedro scored, I would have given Pope at least a 50/50 chance of stopping that one as well.

Whilst I felt really sorry for Malick Thiaw, he has now got his one big mistake of the season out of the way after allowing Pedro to get the better of him ahead of scoring the equaliser.

We will also be very unlucky to encounter such shocking match officials as we had today, they for sure cost Newcastle United the win. A win we should also have comfortably won as well, by simply putting away a fair amount of the chances created.

It is quite incredible really what has happened at home in recent months.

The last ten home games in all competitions have seen Newcastle United score exactly two goals in nine of the matches and three in the other (Benfica).

In all ten of these home games Newcastle should have scored four or more. Luckily the fact they haven’t done so hasn’t cost too many wins, United winning eight of the ten and now drawing the other two.

Thing is though, I really think we are on the brink of starting to score fours and fives in homes matches AND I also think that now we are getting much greater depth in attacking positions,, especially with having two strikers now available, NUFC will also start regularly winning away as well.

As well as looking forward to getting many of the injured back, the likes of Livramento, Pope, Botman, Trippier, Joelinton and Burn. What about Lewis Miley? He has been looking increasingly the part in midfield BUT what a revelation as a right-back! He was outstanding there today and what an intelligent player, honestly, I think he is not too far behind the outstanding Lewis Hall when it comes to his football brain.

I heard a fair bit negativity when Newcastle United pulled Man City out of the hat but I honestly think we can do the same to them as we did toe Arsenal a year ago in the Carabao Cup.

Newcastle were superb today and should have been five goals up, but remember exactly four weeks ago today, Eddie Howe’s side did the same to Manchester City. United blew them away, especially the first half, creating loads of great chances when Barnes and Woltemade could and should have both got hat-tricks, sounding a bit familiar…?

I think that as well as the worst possible summer preparations he was handed by both the Newcastle United hierarchy and Alexander Isak, Eddie Howe has had a terrible run of bad luck with injuries, suspensions and fine margins going against him and his players.

I sense the tide is massively turning and with now six days between games, before we face Man U away, Newcastle will now go to Old Trafford and win there once again, then do the same at Turf Moor to end 2025 in the perfect way.

This Premier League season is far from over and Newcastle United will only be six points at the most away from a Champions League qualifying spot after this weekend, with still a majority of the season still to go.

Hopefully a run in the FA Cup as well and I am feeling very confident NUFC can reach the Champions League knockout stages.

It is the Carabao Cup though where I am especially confident we can repeat the success of last season, when beating the likes of Forest, Chelsea, Brentford, Arsenal and Liverpool to win it.

No reason this season why that won’t be repeated with wins over the likes of Spurs, Fulham, Man City and Arsenal (or Chelsea, or Palace…) to win the Carabao Cup again.

If Newcastle play against Man City at St James’ Park four weeks ago, I am convinced we can take a three goals or better lead to the Etihad.

Eddie Howe and his squad are now just starting to pull it together and having Wissa and Woltemade to share the workload is huge, alternating in starts to matches, whilst replacing each other with fresh legs during matches.

I think Ramsey is now emerging as the player he can be, with Wotemade, Wissa and Thiaw all just going to keep on improving. Elanga continues to be a work in progress and hopefully his confidence can grow, especially if we can start taking more chances, getting into game won positions, then bring Elanga on in matches where there will be less pressure.

The future is bright and I honestly think Newcastle United are set for another stellar season.

Newcastle 2 Chelsea 2 – 20 December 2025 12.30pm

Match Stats

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Woltemade 4, 20

Chelsea:

James 49, Pedro 66

Possession was Newcastle 47% Chelsea 53%

Total shots were Newcastle 11 Chelsea 13

Shots on target were Newcastle 5 Chelsea 4

Corners were Newcastle 6 Chelsea 4

Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 22 Chelsea 22

Newcastle team v Chelsea:

Ramsdale, Miley, Thiaw, Schar, Hall, Ramsey (Willock 89), Tonali, Bruno, Jacob Murphy (Elanga 73), Gordon (Barnes 72), Woltemade (Wissa 73)

Unused subs:

Ruddy, Joelinton, Alex Murphy, Shahar, Neave