RIGHT, here is a little teaser. Take a deep breath. What have Norwich City, Birmingham, West Brom, QPR, Swindon, Stoke, Norwich, Oxford, Luton, Sheffield Wednesday, Blackburn, Middlesbrough, and Swansea all got in common?
Each and every one of them has won the league cup in its various guises. Meanwhile Newcastle United in 61 years of the competition's history have lifted the pot not once. Indeed they have made only one final way back in 1976.
It is a disgraceful, embarrassing record which was surprisingly not banished to the dustbin during the exciting reigns of Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson.
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So let Eddie Howe's magnificent United do themselves justice and bring all that nonsense to an end which means getting through one way or another against Crystal Palace on Barrack Road this Wednesday evening.
First things first. One step at a time as we go forward. Let us win a domestic trophy, qualify for Europe, lift a continent trophy, win the Premier League, and finally the Champions League. Let it be mapped out. Man reached the moon so anything is possible my friends.
Domestic cups may have been devalued in recent years but the league cup brings with it the chance of an automatic path into Europe as well as a much required trophy.
Palace are Premier League opposition and have come up here once already this season and denied United victory. This is no time to repeat disappointment.
How deep is United's squad? How many changes can be made without significantly weakening the side? Balance has been talked about a lot. Now it needs to be successfully addressed once again.
Certainly Joelinton is available to return nicely rested and the likes of Maxi and Jonjo Shelvey can start after recovering from injuries while Matt Targett and Jamaal Lascelles could be drafted in with little lost.
Nevertheless the danger of fielding a Newcastle side shorn of big hitters was amply displayed when Palace came up here at the beginning of September and forced a 0-0 draw which, if repeated, would bring the dreaded penalty shoot out. United were without Bruno Guimaraes and Callum Wilson as well as Saint-Maximin and it showed.
Of course it also depends to a certain extent on what Patrick Vieira does with his line up but you get the drift. Howe has already addressed the players at some length about Newcastle's barren years which is both a comfort and a reassurance that the right approach is being demanded.
We most certainly have no wish to continue to live on the excuses of yesteryear about the Premier League having to be given priority because that was when the club was so devoid of ambition that survival was all that mattered and had to be protected at all costs. United 2022 are much better than such shallow thinking.
We are of course only in the early days of Carabao Cup skirmishes. One victory is all that is behind us which is hardly well along the road to glorious fulfilment. However let current scintillating form be continued because silver is a colour that would be well treasured on Tyneside.
United have been truly magnificent this season. Their league record reads played 14, won seven, drawn six, and lost one with 28 goals scored and only 11 conceded. It has catapulted them to third top and their win column has been increased by that cup success.
Recently United have gone into overdrive. Since the beginning of October they have been victorious five times and drawn once at Man U. Sixteen goals have been scored against three let in. They have notched four against Fulham, Aston Villa, and Southampton and five against Brentford. Surely United will not allow a blot on such a warming scorecard against Palace.
Win a pot Amanda, Jamie, our Saudi owners, Eddie, Bruno, Kieran and Co and what you have witnessed with Wor Flags and Geordie match day enthusiasm will be sensationally topped as you never thought possible.
This is why you bought the club, why you came Eddie, and why you took the punt Bruno and Kieran when relegation was the only meal on the menu.
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As usual I will be talking with happy Newcastle fans pre-match at Pumphreys in the Bigg Market at 6.15pm when my guest will be former United and Everton striker Jim Pearson.
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