Newcastle United have booked their place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals following a 1-0 win against Bournemouth at St James' Park.
The dominant Magpies broke the deadlock in the 67th minute after Adam Smith headed the ball into his own net from Kieran Trippier's cross.
Here are five things we learned from the game.
READ MORE: Newcastle United vs AFC Bournemouth highlights
Statement sent before ball kicked
Newcastle had spent three weeks preparing for their first competitive game since the break and Eddie Howe even stressed that the Boxing Day trip to Leicester City was 'not in our thoughts' beforehand. Newcastle have played bigger teams this season but, in some ways, this last 16 tie felt like one of the Magpies' biggest games of the campaign so far.
Howe as good as treated it like a final and gave nothing away team news wise ahead of this game. The Newcastle boss even kept his former side guessing by fielding one XI in a training game on Friday and then a completely different starting line-up in the friendly win against Rayo Vallecano a day later.
Regardless, given how seriously Howe has taken the cups this season, Gary O'Neill knew his opposite number will have named a strong side but a full-strength outfit? That felt like quite a statement.
Howe made just one change from the team that defeated Chelsea in the Magpies' last competitive game last month. Even then, with Callum Wilson coming in for Chris Wood, Newcastle were even stronger as all of the club's World Cup contingent started.
Although it took time for Newcastle to score, courtesy of an own goal, that quality told late on as the hosts piled the pressure on and tellingly the breakthrough came from a superb Kieran Trippier delivery.
Newcastle find a way to win
Newcastle were in superb form going into the World Cup break. Not only were Howe's side unbeaten in 11 games in all competitions; the Magpies had won eight of their previous nine fixtures.
Yet, as much as the World Cup came at the wrong time in halting Newcastle's momentum, it gave the majority of the squad the chance to reset, rest and really attack the second half of the season. This all-Premier League cup tie would be a good gauge of whether they could do just that.
Bournemouth, after all, are one of only seven teams who have got something against Newcastle in the top-flight this season. When the two sides met 94 days previously, Newcastle were frustrated after dogged Bournemouth sat in with a low block and earned a 1-1 draw.
Tuesday night's game quickly resembled that contest. Newcastle had plenty of possession - 73% at one stage - but Bournemouth got men behind the ball and slowed the game down. Newcastle, clearly, were going to have to be patient after Callum Wilson controversially had a goal disallowed midway through the first half and Miguel Almiron, somehow, failed to put his side in front right before half-time.
However, crucially, Newcastle did not give up and the Magpies managed to find a way to win even when they were not at their very best. That is what contenders have to do.
Nick Pope proves his worth again as defence stands tall
Newcastle's defence limited Bournemouth to just two shots on target on a night where Sven Botman expertly handled the aerial threat posed by Kieffer Moore and Dominic Solanke, in particular. However, when Nick Pope was called upon at the death, the goalkeeper stepped up once again following his shootout heroics in the previous.
After having little to do all game, Pope proved his worth with a crucial save to deny Dominic Solanke in the 89th minute. The mark of a true top-class goalkeeper is staying switched on right until the end and that big stop spared the Magpies a penalty shootout and potential elimination.
The £10m summer signing is Newcastle's insurance policy and, remarkably, the Magpies have not conceded a single goal in five successive games at home.
St James' has cup fever
Newcastle supporters are up for the cup, all right. Remarkably, this was very nearly the club's largest ever home attendance for a League Cup game - 51,579 - as fans rushed back to St James' for Newcastle's first competitive game since the World Cup break.
Their support was rewarded with an early Christmas present under the lights after the Magpies made it into the hat for the last eight of the Carabao Cup for only the fourth occasion in 16 years. There was a time in a previous era where supporters' hopes were dashed by a poor performance or a scratch team, but fans knew coming to this game Howe was all-in. No wonder the Gallowgate sang: ''Tell me ma, me ma. I won't be home for tea, we're going to Wembley.' It has been a while since that song has been heard at this stadium. It felt like a special moment.
What a chance to make history
Eddie Howe has already visualised ending Newcastle's 53-year trophy drought at some point and even if that wait is to go on, Newcastle have a real chance to make their mark on this competition this season. With Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea already out, and Man City meeting Liverpool on Thursday, the draw has really opened up for Newcastle after this last 16 win.
Newcastle wasted a glorious opportunity two years ago, when drawn against Brentford's reserves in the quarters, but you can be sure Howe's side will give everything so that the Magpies can progress into the semi-finals of this competition for the first time since 1976 - whoever they face in the last eight.
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