Newcastle United ended a great week with a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup. This win put them in the quarter-finals, where they will play Fulham. Eddie Howe’s team showed its depth by making eight changes to the lineup before the triumph. It’s almost like E|ddie Howe managed to get his hands on some FIFA coins this summer and build his ultimate team. Newcastle is doing well in the Premier League after winning the Champions League. The team’s strength shows, but injuries to Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall make it hard for them to find full-backs. This article goes over the game, Howe’s admiration for the unsung heroes, the full-back problem, and the Fulham game, all of which show that the club is close to winning the league.
A Masterclass in the Second Half: How to Set the Stage for Success
The match report says that Newcastle United’s 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at St James’ Park on October 29, 2025, showed grit and precision. The first half was shaky, but the second half was strong, with Bruno Guimarães controlling the game with his intensity and vision. His curling shot from 25 yards in the 52nd minute broke the tie, and in the 68th minute, Woltemade scored a penalty kick after Guimarães made a great run. Malick Thiaw and Sven Botman’s strong connection helped Newcastle secure their fifth clean sheet of the season. Thiaw, who cost £34 million, seemed like a great deal.
Eddie Howe made eight changes to the team that lost to Union SG in the Champions League on Wednesday, and Aaron Ramsdale, Emil Krafth, Schär, Jacob Ramsey, and Elliot Anderson all took advantage of their chances. Before a loud crowd, the win was Newcastle’s third in nine days and set them up for a quarter-final match at home against Fulham on December 17, 2025, between a trip to Sunderland and a match against Chelsea. Howe told Sky Sports that it was “a great game for the squad.” He said, “When you make the changes that we did, you hope to see a performance in line with our identity and expectations, and I thought we got both today.”
The card above shows the stats: 18 shots, 9 on target, 52% possession, and 412 passes completed. This shows that the team played well, even though they were hesitant at first. Fans on social media praised Guimarães’ “masterclass” and Woltemade’s “clinical finish.” One fan tweeted, “Tonali and Schär bossing it—Newcastle’s depth is scary.”
Milestone for Woltemade: Joining Legends in Black and White
Nick Woltemade’s penalty kick in the 68th minute wasn’t simply a goal; it was a historic one. The German striker became the third Newcastle player to score in his first three home games at St James’ Park, joining Alan Shearer and Les Ferdinand. Woltemade has scored three goals in five games since joining from Borussia Dortmund in August, which is not what you would expect from a player who cost £25 million. Howe praised how flexible he was: “Nick’s mentality, first of all. He has been quite open. He is very open to new ideas, very willing to do what we ask him to do, and he has taken in everything we have told him.
The striker’s tactical skills let Newcastle play aggressively, keeping him on the goal side and letting him be creative. “I have to say he’s been very good tactically.” And that lets us play the way we want to. And once you have that framework, you can help him improve his skills, which are special to him. His game is pretty excellent. Woltemade’s willingness to drop deep for possession, along with his threat in the air, has opened up the offence and made room for Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga. His calm penalty after Guimarães’ run hushed the naysayers and got the Gallowgate End singing. Howe said, “All strikers need that confidence, and that will give his confidence another boost.” He is definitely getting used to it.
Ramsdale, Tonali, and Schär’s Great Returns Are Unsung Heroes
Several performers stood out because of Howe’s adjustments. Aaron Ramsdale, who was on loan from Southampton and started his second game for Howe, was the best player. “Tottenham had their moments and attacked well, but Aaron made a lot of really, really good saves and controlled his area well when he needed to.” He also has great distribution, so it was a great night for him. Ramsdale’s command, which was important for Howe’s build-up, kept Spurs’ pressure at bay and strengthened his case for a permanent deal.
Sandro Tonali, who had been sick for two weeks, set the tone with his nonstop enthusiasm. Howe said he was “excellent today.” Full of enthusiasm, great both when he has the ball and when he doesn’t. I’m so happy for Sandi. Tonali’s cross for Schär’s header in the 55th minute, which came from a set-piece that had been practiced in training, broke through. He dominated the midfield with eight tackles and 92% of his passes, earning a 9/10 rating. Schär scored a goal in his 50th game for Newcastle after coming back from a concussion. “He’s always had a goal in him and that creative edge to his game,” said Schär. A wonderful time for him. Howe said that the Swiss defender’s header from Tonali’s pass was “top class.” He also said, “It’s something we’ve been working really hard on lately, and we have the height and the tone to cause problems.”
The team’s depth was shown by the strong performances of Krafth, Ramsey, and Anderson. Howe lauded the players’ “attitude” and “athleticism”: “A lot of those players haven’t played regularly, so that’s a sign of their professionalism and how well they take care of themselves between games.” They received what they deserved.
Full-Back Fiasco: Injuries Test Depth
The triumph hid a problem with the full-backs. Tino Livramento hurt his knee ligaments in the loss to Arsenal on September 28. He will be sidelined for eight weeks and will be back in early December. Howe’s system relied on the 22-year-old’s speed, which is why he started every game before his injury. Chelsea paid £32 million for him. Lewis Hall, 21, joined him with a hamstring problem following the Union SG win on October 1. This was his first start since May, when he hurt his foot. Howe said, “He needs to have another scan in about ten days before we know for sure how long he will be out.” We don’t know yet if it will be a long-term injury or not.
Dan Burn, 33, has played left-back, although he said last season that he is less suited to the position since he has gained weight. With just Alex Murphy, 20, left as a possibility, people started to talk about bringing Matt Targett back from Middlesbrough. The 30-year-old, whose contract ends in 2026, has done quite well, scoring once and assisted once in six games, which helped Boro get to second place. Reports say that Newcastle won’t invite him back because Targett isn’t on their 25-man Premier League or 21-man Champions League teams, thus he can’t play until January. To end the loan, either Boro would have to pay or agree, but since Livramento and Hall are due back by January, it is not needed.
Targett’s problems in 2024/25—he only played 19 minutes because of problems with his hamstring and Achilles—led to the loan, which was meant to lead to a permanent move. Howe trusts Burn and Murphy, as well as Emil Krafth and Valentino Livramento on the right, which shows that he wants to solve problems inside the team. With two full-backs sidelined, the issue challenges depth with a busy calendar. Brighton is next, followed by Benfica and Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League and a Carabao Cup match at Tottenham.
The Fulham Quarter-Final will be in December.
Newcastle’s trip to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, their first since 2022/23, will be against Fulham on December 17, 2025, between a trip to Sunderland and a meeting against Chelsea. Before the draw, Howe hoped for a home tie: “The quarterfinal is a big hurdle for us, and we are now in the last stages of the competitions.” We know how it feels. We hope that the things we’ve learnt in the last two years will help us. We want to get another game at home. The draw made it happen, and now there will be a game at St. James’ Park.
Arsenal plays Crystal Palace, Cardiff plays Chelsea, and Manchester City plays Brentford. Fulham and Brentford beat Wycombe and Grimsby, and Arsenal (2-0 vs Brighton), Manchester City (3-1 vs Swansea), and Chelsea (3-1 vs Wolves) join them. The first legs of the semi-finals will be on January 12, 2026, and the second legs will be on February 2. Newcastle’s last eight tie, which ended in a 2-0 win for Spurs, gives them optimism of winning a trophy again. Howe wants to go back to Wembley after winning the Carabao Cup in 2023.
