Newcastle’s route to Carabao Cup final as they bid to end decades-long wait for trophy

Newcastle United will attempt to end a 54-year wait for silverware against Manchester United in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final at Wembley.

Here, we take a look at how Eddie Howe’s side reached their first final since 1999.

A much-changed Magpies side got off to the worst possible start when Elliott Nevitt rounded off a slick passing move in style to give League Two Tranmere a 21st-minute lead over their Premier League opponents.

However, the visitors dragged themselves back into the tie before half-time when skipper Jamaal Lascelles, one of 10 men drafted in following a thrilling 3-3 draw with reigning champions Manchester City three days earlier, levelled from substitute Kieran Trippier’s corner.

It was left to striker Chris Wood to clinch victory seven minutes after the restart with a glancing header from another Trippier set-piece.

England goalkeeper Nick Pope was Newcastle’s hero as a drab evening on Tyneside ended in dramatic style.

Howe once again rang the changes, resting eight of the men who had secured a 4-1 league win at Southampton three days earlier, and saw Pope make an early stop from Jean-Philippe Mateta before opposite number Sam Johnstone denied Miguel Almiron an eighth goal in as many games late on.

Pope then saved penalties from Luka Milivojevic, Mateta and Malcolm Ebiowei as Wood, Trippier and Joelinton were successful to take their side through.

Howe made something of a statement when he named Pope, Trippier, Fabian Schar, Bruno Guimaraes and Callum Wilson in his starting line-up following their respective returns from the World Cup.

His team enjoyed the better of the game, but needed Adam Smith’s own goal – he headed past keeper Mark Travers under pressure from Wilson with 67 minutes gone – to get their noses in front.

However, Pope had to be at his best to prevent substitute Jack Stacey and Dominic Solanke from equalising as Newcastle edged their way to a seventh successive win in all competitions.

Dan Burn chose the perfect moment to score his first senior goal for the club which had released him as an 11-year-old, producing an accomplished finish on the hour.

Joelinton made sure with a second 12 minutes later to send the Magpies to just their second League Cup semi-final and the first in 47 years.

Joelinton enjoyed an eventful evening on the south coast as the Magpies took a firm grip on the last-four tie.

The Brazilian saw a goal controversially disallowed and was guilty of an astonishing miss before he powered home the opener after 73 minutes at St Mary’s.

Newcastle academy graduate Adam Armstrong thought he had levelled, only for a VAR review to send the Saints to Tyneside trailing.

Home-grown midfielder Sean Longstaff was the star of the show as Howe’s men took a significant step towards their first domestic trophy since 1955.

Longstaff struck after five and 21 minutes to lift the roof off St James’ Park on a night when Bob Moncur, captain of the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup-winning team, and Hollywood star Idris Elba were in attendance.

Che Adams gave the visitors hope when he blasted a shot past the astonished Pope – the first goal he had conceded in 931 minutes of football – but the Magpies held on despite Guimaraes’ late dismissal for a challenge on substitute Sam Edozie.