"Newcastle's desire to retain it proved infinitely stronger. As Eddie Howe put it: This was a performance in line with our identity and our expectations. We were strong. Howe's side could have been forgiven for prioritising the Champions League and the Premier League but, instead, they played with the zeal of a side still buoyed by their Wembley triumph in March."
"Howe had enthused about the variety and versatility of Tottenham's buildups but, perhaps anxious to prove his own chameleon credentials, Newcastle's manager tweaked his 4-3-3 system to create extra overloads down the flanks. It meant that one full-back Emil Krafth or Dan Burn joined almost every attack as the home side temporarily shapeshifted into a back three. With Tonali once again reprising his impression of the complete modern midfielder, Spurs struggled to secondguess their hosts."
The Carabao Cup stood in the main reception as Tottenham's players passed it en route to the away dressing room. Newcastle showed a stronger desire to retain the trophy and produced a performance aligned with club identity and expectations. Newcastle balanced Champions League and Premier League commitments while playing with Wembley-winning zeal. Fabian Schar and Nick Woltemade scored to secure passage to the quarter-finals and a December home tie with Fulham, supported by another outstanding midfield display from Sandro Tonali. Howe tweaked a 4-3-3 to overload the flanks, with Emil Krafth or Dan Burn joining attacks to form a temporary back three. Tottenham struggled to read the shifts; Harvey Barnes and Brennan Johnson missed chances before Schar headed in from Tonali's corner amid chaos caused by zonal marking and a misplaced full-back.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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