Newcastle United booked their place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals with a composed 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at St James’ Park tonight.
The Magpies made eight changes but still produced a performance full of control and discipline, with Fabian Schar and Nick Woltemade scoring the decisive goals in either half.
The hosts began brightly, pressing high and exploiting wide areas through the adventurous full-backs Emil Krafth and Dan Burn.
Their early momentum paid off when Schar rose to meet Sandro Tonali’s curling corner, heading past Antonin Kinsky to give Newcastle a deserved lead.
Tottenham’s zonal marking left gaps in the six-yard box, and the Swiss defender punished them.
The visitors briefly rallied, with Brennan Johnson slicing a shot wide after a slick counter-attack and Lucas Bergvall showing flashes of composure in midfield.
However, Aaron Ramsdale was largely untroubled in the Newcastle goal, as Spurs struggled to create clear chances despite moments of promise from Pedro Porro and Richarlison.
At the other end, Harvey Barnes hit the crossbar with a close-range effort just before half-time after another clever sequence involving Tonali and Malick Thiaw.
The Italian midfielder dictated play with his range of passing and composure, consistently orchestrating Newcastle’s build-up from deep.
The Magpies doubled their advantage early in the second half through Woltemade, who glanced Joe Willock’s precise cross into the net following a mix-up between Kinsky and Kevin Danso.
The German forward’s sixth goal of the season capped another efficient move from a side that managed the game expertly from then on.
Ramsdale ensured the clean sheet remained intact, producing a sharp save to keep out Pape Matar Sarr’s dipping strike before denying Richarlison from close range.
Manager Eddie Howe introduced Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Kieran Trippier to see out the contest, as Newcastle’s control tightened.
There was late tension when Joelinton and Tottenham substitute Mohammed Kudus clashed in a heated exchange that could easily have led to dismissals, but the home side’s composure held firm.
