Woltemade Hot Streak Continues As Newcastle Rise High To Knock Out Spurs

The Carabao Cup was connected show successful nan main reception, dictating that Tottenham’s players trooped past it arsenic they entered nan Milburn Stand en way from their squad autobus to nan distant dressing room. If nan show of that trophy inspired Thomas Frank’s players, Newcastle’s desire to clasp it was infinitely stronger.

Eddie Howe’s squad could person been forgiven for prioritising nan Champions League and nan Premier League but, instead, they played pinch nan zeal of a broadside still buoyed by past March’s Wembley triumph.

Their transition to this season’s quarter-finals was secured acknowledgment to goals from nan awesome Fabian Schär and Nick Woltemade – and different stunning midfield capacity connected Sandro Tonali’s part.

Before kick-off Howe had enthused astir nan assortment and versatility of Tottenham’s buildups but, possibly anxious to beryllium his ain chameleon credentials, Newcastle’s head tweaked his 4-3-3 strategy to create other overloads down nan flanks.

It meant that 1 afloat backmost – Emil Krafth aliases Dan Burn – joined almost each onslaught arsenic nan location broadside made repeated, if temporary, style shifts into a backmost three.

With Tonali erstwhile again showing his midfield class, Spurs struggled to second-guess nan hosts but Newcastle could not return their early chances. When Harvey Barnes missed a very decent opening, Frank’s squad woke up a small and Brennan Johnson should person done amended than portion a changeable into nan Gallowgate astatine nan extremity of a fluent counterattack.

Howe’s players knew they had been reprieved and responded by rewarding nan location fans – galore of whom had struggled to get into nan crushed aft Wednesday’s Microsoft net outage near them incapable to download their lucifer tickets – pinch a goal.

It came from nan caput of Schär who connected pinch Tonali’s area arsenic Tottenham’s determination to people that group portion zonally engendered a consciousness of chaos to rival thing seen earlier successful nan St James’ Park container office.

Fabian Schär rises to powerfulness location a header and put Newcastle ahead. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA

As Schär’s header powered beyond Antonin Kinsky’s reach, Howe applauded enthusiastically. The ball-playing erstwhile Switzerland cardinal defender began nan play successful stellar shape and was desperately unlucky to suffer his spot to Malick Thiaw aft suffering a concussion.

Now, pinch Sven Botman rested arsenic Newcastle’s made 8 changes, Schär recovered himself stationed to nan correct of Thiaw and mostly did a bully occupation of subduing Richarlison as, pinch half-time beckoning, Spurs raised their game.

Suddenly Lucas Bergvall looked imperious but Frank’s problem was that his forwards still struggled to decently trial nan erstwhile Arsenal goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale, deputising for Nick Pope.

Not that this deficiency of slayer small heart was exclusively a Spurs problem. Had Barnes not messed up a 2nd highly inviting chance Newcastle would person been 2 up astatine nan interval. Instead nan near winger miscued his volley pursuing good activity from Tonali and Thiaw.

In mitigation, that Barnes effort did onslaught nan crossbar but nan look connected his look suggested he thought he should person done amended astatine nan conclusion of a move that served to showcase Tonali’s excellence. No subordinate is much important to Newcastle than nan Italy midfielder correct now.

Not that Woltemade is excessively acold behind. The Germany guardant headed his side’s 2nd extremity aft gathering Joe Willock’s beautifully dinked transverse and capitalising connected an unfortunate misunderstanding betwixt Kinsky and Kevin Danso astatine nan outset of nan 2nd period.

As Woltemade celebrated his sixth extremity successful each competitions, Willock had afloat redeemed himself for an earlier headed miss pursuing a beautiful Barnes cross.

Ramsdale remained little than afloat stretched but retained capable attraction to make a superb prevention to support Pape Sarr’s swerving debased changeable retired arsenic Tottenham strove to navigate a way backmost into nan tie.

With Ramsdale subsequently denying Richarlison pursuing a menacing Pedro Porro transverse location fans felt sufficiently assurance to commencement singing astir different travel to a awesome final. Last year’s Carabao Cup anthem “Tell maine Ma, I won’t beryllium location for beverage … We’re going to Wemberlee” received an airing arsenic Howe liberated Bruno Guimarães, Joelinton, Kieran Trippier and Will Osula from nan bench.

Joelinton could count himself somewhat fortunate to beryllium simply booked pursuing a reckless tackle connected nan Tottenham substitute Mohammed Kudus. The aforesaid applied to Kudus who responded by throwing his fists astatine nan prone Brazilian earlier Joelinton fought back. Had it been nan Premier League and VAR operational, nan result could arguably person progressive 2 reddish cards.