Newcastle manager Eddie Howe played down his Carabao Cup ambitions after his side reached the last four, insisting “we have to just focus on the football.”
Newcastle, runners-up in the competition in 2023, secured their semi-final spot with a 3-1 win over Brentford courtesy of a Sandro Tonali brace and a Fabian Schar goal at St James’ Park on Wednesday night.
Yoane Wissa pulled one back for the visitors in second-half stoppage time but it proved little more than consolation as a strong Newcastle team progressed.
Winger Anthony Gordon had said in the build-up that he believed the Magpies could go on to win the cup and bring an end to a 70-year domestic trophy drought.
Newcastle progress through to the Carabao Cup semi-final! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/VSCKsKWn64
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) December 18, 2024
And that sentiment was echoed by Brentford boss Thomas Frank, who graciously said he hoped Newcastle would lift the trophy after the match.
“I think they can win it. We have Liverpool, Arsenal [in the semi-final] – we need a change. It would mean more to the Newcastle fans as well,” Frank said.
Howe largely swerved Frank’s praise, choosing instead to focus on the games coming up next.
“That’s nice of Thomas but we have to just focus on the football,” Howe said.
“We have some big Premier League games in between so we have to focus on them. In the blink of an eye we’ll be at Portman Road [against Ipswich on Saturday] and we have to be ready for that game now.”
The Newcastle manager did, however, save some nice words of his own for Tonali, whose two first-half strikes set Howe’s side on course for victory.
That technique. 😮💨🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/eZUrjxIKF6
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) December 18, 2024
“It was great to see Sandro score the two that he did,” Howe added.
“We are starting to see the best of him. The tweak in position has definitely helped him, he is a lot more comfortable when he is deeper on the pitch.
“He is showing all the qualities that we knew when we signed him. It is just about finding the right balance for him and the team.”
