Newcastle are flying after beating Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford on Wednesday night in the League Cup.
It meant Eddie Howe’s side progressed to the quarter-final where they will face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in a game that is likely to be competitive.
Revenge was served in an emphatic as a side depleted with injuries pushed aside a giant of English football in Manchester United with ease, in what was an incredibly comfortable game.
Despite several key defenders being out for the game, along with a much changed starting XI which included Matt Ritchie, Martin Dubravka and Paul Dummett, Howe’s side were rarely threatened.
But the big question for many is, can they go a step further than last year and win the League Cup?
Winning a trophy has proved a catalyst for many managers in the past, with the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp all starting with domestic trophies before kicking on for greater success.
What’s more important to supporters; a domestic cup win, or Champions League qualification?
Rewind to February earlier this year and Newcastle were preparing for one of their biggest games in recent history. The League Cup final against Manchester United was the first real look into the future for supporters as to what success could be.
However, it wasn’t to be as United ran out 2-0 victors with Newcastle finishing the season in the top four. A solid start for the ownership.
However, with Spurs in form and Aston Villa swooping into the top four after an incredible start to the season under Unai Emery, qualification for the Champions League got much more competitive.
Couple that with an ongoing injury crisis and focusing on domestic trophies could be the key to unlocking more success in the future.
Alan Shearer said in February that winning the League Cup will be bigger than qualifying for Europe’s premier competition. That opinion is unlikely to change considering the level of opposition Newcastle have already knocked out.
