Newcastle United's manager, Eddie Howe, believes that their EFL Cup victory last season was pivotal for the team's development. As they prepare to defend their title against Tottenham on Wednesday, Howe reflects
on the significance of ending a 70-year trophy drought with a 2-1 win over Liverpool in March. Dan Burn and Alexander Isak were the goal scorers in that memorable final at Wembley.
Under Howe's leadership, Newcastle has experienced several deep runs in the competition. They reached the final again in 2023 but lost 2-0 to Manchester United. In the 2023-24 season, they made it to the quarter-finals before being knocked out by Chelsea in a penalty shoot-out. Howe expressed satisfaction with finally lifting the trophy last season after a challenging path to the final.
Reflecting on past experiences, Howe said, "There's been a lot of great experiences in this competition for us. " He recalled vivid memories from their first final and admitted that emotions were mostly negative afterward. "The Chelsea defeat is still painful for me because I felt we had a real chance to win," he added. However, he acknowledged that overcoming these challenges helped the team grow.
This upcoming match marks the first EFL Cup encounter between Tottenham and Newcastle since their quarter-final clash in the 2014-15 season. In that game, Spurs triumphed 4-0 at White Hart Lane with goals from Nabil Bentaleb, Nasser Chadli, Harry Kane, and Roberto Soldado. Despite this history, Newcastle enters Wednesday's match with confidence, having won their last seven EFL Cup matches.
However, Newcastle will be without Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall, and Yoane Wissa due to injuries. Howe explained that Wissa's recovery is more prolonged compared to Livramento and Hall. "It's difficult for me to give a [specific] game," said Howe regarding Wissa's return. He noted that once Hall is fit, he will quickly rejoin the group.
Set for Spurs pic.twitter.com/fvohk2lcFW Newcastle United (@NUFC) October 28, 2025
Howe remains optimistic about Livramento's return as well but emphasised that Wissa needs a mini pre-season before rejoining full training. The Magpies aim to continue their impressive cup run despite these setbacks.
As Newcastle prepares for this crucial fixture against Tottenham, they hope to extend their winning streak and advance further in the competition. The team is determined to build on last season's success and continue growing under Howe's guidance.
