Eddie Howe's famous mantra that there is 'no dead games' for Newcastle United is ringing true once more as the Magpies prepare for Tuesday's Carabao Cup clash with Bournemouth. The north east outfit had to endure an untimely break brought about by the winter World Cup, as Howe looks to pick up from where he left off at St James' Park this week.
Many will have been hoping Newcastle are back to full fitness and raring to go for the trip to Leicester on Boxing Day but Howe has rubbished any talk that tomorrow's cup clash is a warm-up for the return of Premier League football.
Asked about whether playing Bournemouth before returning to Premier League action was good preparation, Howe responded: "In terms of the Premier League schedule, it's good to have this game. But we've looked to get ourselves in the best physical condition for this game, not use this game as a step for the Premier League.
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"It's got the same importance as a Premier League game because it will give us a chance to progress in a very important competition for us. So that is how we have approached the game."
Howe was coy over which players would start at St James' Park on Tuesday but a strong XI is expected from the Toon boss as the club go full-throttle to end up their cup drought. The Newcastle boss has made no secret of his desire to lift a trophy with the Tyneside outfit during his time at the club.
"I said very early days here that my dream is to try to win something for Newcastle and that hasn’t changed," Howe said before the last round against Crystal Palace. "When you play any game you have to get the mindset right. You have to have everyone involved in the game with the mindset that we want to win and progress because we are ambitious. We can dream and we can dream big.
"That is what I have tried to encourage and, I have to say, the players have embraced that and they have mirrored my thoughts. There’s no dead games here. Every competition is huge."
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