Half time: Saints 0 Magpies 0

73 mins: Taking possession in a central area inside in his own half, Bruno played a short pass to Fabian Schar. He advanced down the right touchline with Che Adams looking on before pushing the ball forward.

That reached Alexander Isak via a slight deflection off Carlos Alcaraz, with the Magpies substitute heading towards the touchline and checking back before a change of pace and direction left Duje Caleta-Car stranded.

Isak had time to look up as he sped towards the byline, supplying a perfect pull-back for Joelinton, who timed his arrival between Kyle Walker-Peters and Lyanco to side-foot a rising right footer home from four yards out.

The goalscorer and many of his colleagues celebrated in front of the 3,200 strong gyrating mass behind that goal, while the assist provider leapt the hoardings and disappeared into the throng. The expected booking failed to materialise. 1-0

Full time: Saints 0 Magpies 1

 

We Said

Eddie Howe:

"It was a tough game. Both teams had their moments so very pleased to get the win but it's only half time. We weren't clinical until Joe's goal. I can't be critical of the team in any way, it's been a good day for us. There's a lot to play in the tie.

"I'm pleased to win; that was our aim but we know 1-0 is delicate. Nothing is decided."

On the second leg:

"The challenge for me as a manager is just to prepare for another game. The process behind our performances has to be very consistent. It’s half-time and we’re 1-0 up and that’s all it is. We’re pleased with our work but there’s a long way to go.

"Unfortunately in my playing career, I felt so many disappointments from potential moments of success that from my side I’m very calm, very level, knowing there’s a lot of work to do.”

On his goalkeeper:

"We needed Nick (Pope). Very pleased to see VAR intervene (to disallow Southampton's goal). The 1-0 scoreline is delicate, nothing's decided.

"Nick made some big saves today - especially the one against (Che) Adams - it was a big moment in the match. He stood up tall for us like he has all season.

"I can't rate him highly enough. He's got a great defence in front of him but whenever he's needed he's produced the goods for us."

On Alexander Isak:

"He’s certainly getting there. He was excellent in training yesterday. You can see he’s getting his sharpness.

"He’s going to be a great player for us for now and the future. He’s got quality in his feet. The assist was a magical bit of play.”

On Joelinton:

"It happens – people miss big opportunities. He’s mentally very strong.

"His own journey at Newcastle would sort of epitomise that really: he’s someone who has real resilience and doesn’t get flustered either way, in success or more disappointing moments.

"When we needed him again, he was on the spot from Alex’s really good play out wide. I’m really pleased for Joe whenever he scores because he feeds off that confidence that goals bring. I thought he played very well tonight.”

They Said

Nathan Jones said:

"I’m really proud of the level of performance, because (Newcastle) are a top side. They’ve had a couple of big chances, we’ve had a couple of big chances, but for us to compete shows we’ve come a long way.

"In the second half we stepped it up. They had a bit more quality than us in the wide areas. Once we get that confidence, and one or two in, we’ll be a different threat to go after them.

"Nowadays you can’t celebrate a goal because you never know. We’ve been the victim of four VAR calls. Was it the right one? You have to look at it a million times. Was it clear and obvious? If it touched his hand, you have to give it. They had one first half, we had one second, so it’s evened itself out.

"It was a really entertaining game, credit to Newcastle. We were brave, we were bold, and very energetic, and I’m proud. We’ve stopped conceding goals on a regular basis, we’re tougher to beat, and more difficult to play against. We just need to take chances when we get them.

"(Carlos) Alcaraz was phenomenal tonight, absolutely sensational. It’s a game of margins, but we’re so close to being a good side. We’ll go to St James’ Park to be positive. We have to try to win.”

Stats

Newcastle LC 2022/23 to date: R3 Tranmere Rovers (a) won 2-1 R4 Crystal Palace (h) drew 0-0 (won 3-2pens) R5 Bournemouth (h) won 1-0 QF Leicester City (h) won 2-0 SF1 Southampton (a) won 1-0 The Nick Pope show continues apace; ten league and cup games and 902 minutes since he was last beaten in all competitions. Another successful outing for the blue and gold change strip, worn for away victories at Tranmere Rovers, Fulham, Spurs and Southampton (twice). Joelinton's fourth League Cup goal took him level with Peter Beardsley, Craig Bellamy, Micky Burns, Paul Cannell and Peter Lovenkrands. Malcolm Macdonald remains well out in front with 12 goals in this competition. Toon @ Saints - Premier League era: 2022/23 Won 1-0 Joelinton 2022/23 Won 4-1 Almiron, Wood, Willock, Guimaraes 2021/22 Won 2-1 Wood, Guimaraes 2020/21 Lost 0-2 2019/20 Won 1-0 Saint-Maximin 2018/19 Drew 0-0 2017/18 Drew 2-2 Hayden, Perez 2015/16 Lost 1-3 Townsend 2014/15 Lost 0-4 2013/14 Lost 0-4 2012/13 Lost 0-2 2004/05 Won 2-1 OG, Carr 2003/04 Drew 3-3 Ameobi, Bowyer, Ambrose 2003/04 Won 3-0 Dyer 2, Robert (FAC) 2002/03 Drew 1-1 Bellamy 2001/02 Lost 1-3 Shearer 2000/01 Lost 0-2 No scorer* 1999/00 Lost 2-4 Shearer, Speed* 1998/99 Lost 1-2 Hamann* 1997/98 Lost 1-2 Lee 1996/97 Drew 2-2 Ferdinand, Clark* 1995/96 Lost 0-1 No scorer* 1994/95 Lost 1-3 Kitson* 1993/94 Lost 1-2 Cole* * At the Dell, all subsequent games at St. Mary's. NUFC v Southampton cup meetings: 1897/98 lost 0-1 (a) (FAC) 1899/00 lost 1-4 (a) (FAC) 1922/23 drew 0-0 (h) (FAC) 1922/23 lost 1-3 (a) (FAC) 1926/27 lost 1-2 (a) (FAC) 1946/47 won 3-1 (h) (FAC) 1968/69 lost 1-4 (a) (LC) 1969/70 drew 0-0 (h) (FC) 1969/70 drew 1-1 (a) (FC) won on away goals 1969/70 lost 0-3 (a) (FA) 1974/75 lost 0-1 (a) (TEX) 1974/75 won 3-0 (h) TEX) 2003/04 won 3-0 (a) (FAC) 2005/06 won 1-0 (h) (FAC) 2022/23 won 1-0 (a) (LC) Following the 4-1 PL success here in November, Newcastle won competitively away in league and cup games on the same ground during the same season for the first time since 1989/90 when they did so at Boothferry Park: 1989/90 Hull City (a) won 3-1 D2, won 1-0 FA 1991/92 Tranmere Rovers (a) lost 2-3 D2, lost on pens ZDS 1993/94 Wimbledon (a) lost 2-4 PL,  lost 1-2 LC 1994/95 Manchester City (a) drew 0-0 PL, drew 1-1 LC 1994/95 Blackburn Rovers (a) lost 0-1 PL, won 3-1 FA 1994/95 Everton (a) lost 0-2 PL, lost 0-1 FA 1995/96 Liverpool (a) lost 3-4 PL, won 1-0 LC 1995/96 Chelsea (a) lost 0-1 PL, drew 1-1 FA 1995/96 Arsenal (a) lost 0-2 PL, lost 0-2 LC 1996/97 Boro (a) won 1-0 PL, lost 1-3 LC 1997/98 Derby County (a) lost 0-1 PL, won 1-0 LC 1997/98 Everton (a) drew 0-0 PL, won 1-0 FA 1998/99 Blackburn Rovers (a) drew 0-0 PL, won 1-0 FA 1999/00 Spurs (a) lost 1-3 PL, drew 1-1 FA 2000/01 Aston Villa (a) drew 1-1 PL, lost 0-1 FA 2001/02 Arsenal (a) won 3-0 PL, lost 0-3 FA 2001/02 Chelsea (a) drew 1-1 PL, lost 0-1 LC 2003/04 Southampton (a) drew 3-3 PL, won 3-0 FA 2003/04 Liverpool (a) drew 1-1 PL, lost 1-2 FA 2005/06 Chelsea (a) lost 0-2 PL, lost 0-1 FA 2005/06 Wigan Athletic (a) lost 0-1 PL, lost 0-1 LC 2006/07 Watford (a) drew 1-1 PL, won on pens LC 2007/08 Arsenal (a) lost 0-3 PL, lost 0-3 FA, lost 0-2 LC 2008/09 Hull City (a) drew 0-0 PL, drew 1-1 FA 2009/10 Plymouth Argyle (a) won 2-1 Ch, drew 0-0 FA 2009/10 West Bromwich Albion (a) drew 1-1 Ch, lost 2-4 FA 2009/10 Peterborough United (a) won 3-2 Ch, lost 0-2 LC 2010/11 Chelsea (a) drew 2-2 PL, won 4-3 LC 2011/12 Blackburn Rovers (a) won 2-0 PL, lost 2-3 LC 2012/13 Manchester United (a) lost 3-4 PL, lost 1-2 LC 2014/15 Leicester City (a) lost 0-3 PL, lost 0-1 FA 2014/15 Crystal Palace (a) drew 1-1 PL, won 3-2 LC 2014/15 Manchester City (a) lost 0-5 PL, won 2-0 LC 2014/15 Spurs (a) won 2-1 PL, lost 0-4 LC 2015/16 Watford (a) lost 1-2 PL, lost 0-1 FA 2016/17 Birmingham City (a) drew 0-0 Ch, drew 1-1 FA 2017/18 Chelsea (a) lost 1-3 PL, lost 0-3 FA 2020/21 Arsenal (a) lost 0-3 PL, lost 0-2 FA 2022/23 Southampton (a) won 4-1 PL, won 1-0 LC For completeness here's NUFC versus the same opponent away from SJP: 1997/98 Arsenal (a) lost 1-3 PL, (n) lost 0-2 FA 1998/99 Spurs (a) lost 0-2 PL, (n) won 2-0 FA 1998/99 Manchester United (a) drew 0-0 PL, (n) lost 0-2 FA 1999/00 Chelsea (a) lost 0-1 PL, (n) lost 1-2 2004/05 Manchester United (a) lost 1-2 PL, (n) lost 1-4 FA

Waffle

Tell me Ma.....

Although a looming drink-driving charge may make motoring metaphors inopportune, Joelinton's strike put his side in the driving seat at what is half-time in this two-legged Semi-final.

The Brazilian struck on 73 minutes to belatedly edge Newcastle closer to what would be a first League Cup Final since 1976 and the opportunity to end a domestic trophy famine stretching back 67 years.

Finishing substitute Aleksander Isak’s centre from close in, the relief on and off the pitch was evident after what was shaping up to be another 90 minutes of dominance and missed chances for United. 

Having seen one effort controversially chalked off for handball before blazing another over from barely six yards out, Joelinton was the most high-profile profligate but from from the only one; Joe Willock, Sean Longstaff, Sven Botman and others all unable to hit the target from positive positions.

Fielding the same starting line-up held 0-0 at Crystal Palace on Saturday, Eddie Howe saw his side similarly dominate but fail to turn that into goals.

That looked have changed in the 39th minute, when Willock got a shot on target that was blocked and after a brief scramble in the six yard box it was hammered home by Joelinton.   

Celebrations were soon stifled by the referee not awarding the goal and play then restarting with a free kick to the hosts after a pause for VAR that was unable challenge Stuart Attwell's view that the scorer had controlled the ball with a hand.

Reviewing the footage later, two of three angles shown backed up the view that the ball hit Joelinton's chest, with one indistinct view through the net. The reaction of Carlos Alcaraz seems significant though, very close to the incident and instantly indicating a handball to the unsighted referee.

Level at the interval and restarting with no alterations by Newcastle, an open and increasingly feisty second period saw the Saints enjoy their best period; ex-Magpie Adam Armstrong (on as a concussion substitute after Nick Pope took out Moussa Djenepo when heading the ball clear) playing his part.

Pope saved well from Che Adams when one-on-one and then again as the substitute shot on the turn, as United prepared to introduce Isak and Allan Saint-Maximin. The pair would crucially revitalise their side's fortunes, Isak superbly fashioning the chance that Joelinton buried.

Within two minutes, Armstrong bundled in a loose ball under pressure from Burn but a lengthy VAR check however revealed that the score inadvertently used his arm to propel the ball onto his own knee and then past Pope. As was the case with the first disallowed goal, the reaction of an opponent (in this case Kieran Trippier) looked to play a part in the eventual decision.

As an aside; while our goalkeeper's current clean sheet run is unprecedented, it's verging on the supernatural that both times he was saved by VAR, the "scorer" was formerly at Newcastle - Mitrovic's penalty the other let-off.

While Isak's input was obvious, ASM meanwhile provided a valuable outlet on the other wing, charging forward at every opportunity and mesmerising Caleta-Car defender into a second yellow card four minutes from the end. Whether either have played their way into a starting berth remains to be seen, amid faint noise about current interest in Maxi from elsewhere.

However, a potentially decisive second goal wouldn’t follow against the ten man Saints - Jacob Murphy and Isak both firing into the side netting as the visitors sought to take a more commanding advantage into the home leg.

Regardless of that, the scenes of celebration after the final whistle underlined the belief in those present that the job will be finished on Tyneside and a frantic scramble for Wembley tickets will ensue. If ever there was a time for malware bandits to hold the club website to ransom....

With a draw taking us through, you wouldn't bet against Pope extending his incredible run of clean sheets to 11 next Tuesday, but the cynic that dwells deep in our bones observes that extra time and penalties are possibilities. At least we can't go out on away goals like we did to Anderlecht or AZ.....

That's to come next week, but for now we'll feed off the sheer unadulterated joy that winning at the other end of the country brought to people tonight - moving one step closer to something we'd frankly given up ever witnessing.

Those experiencing cup fever for the first time are understandably beside themselves with excitement, but it's fair to say that there was a spring in the step of more "mature" punters exiting St.Mary's at 10pm, us included.

Niall/Biffa