NEWCASTLE 3-1 BRENTFORD: Eddie Howe’s side are on the cusp of another trip to Wembley after Sandro Tonali produced a stellar performance in their Carabao Cup quarter-final
NEWCASTLE 3-1 BRENTFORD: Eddie Howe’s side are on the cusp of another trip to Wembley after Sandro Tonali produced a stellar performance in their Carabao Cup quarter-final NEWCASTLE 3-1 BRENTFORD: Eddie Howe’s side are on the cusp of another trip to Wembley after Sandro Tonali produced a stellar performance in their Carabao Cup quarter-final
Sandro Tonali has waited 17 months to set Newcastle alight – and his double strike sent the Geordies into the last four of the Carabao Cup.
The ex-AC Milan midfielder endured a ten month betting ban last season, and a slow start to his career on Tyneside as the club worked out how to unlock his strengths. But now the Italy international is looking like the main man, anchoring the midfield and rediscovering his goalscoring touch with his first since his debut last season.
Newcastle brushed aside a meek challenge from a depleted Brentford whose miserable away is a brake on their ambitions. Newcastle had 51,765 fans in to see Howe’s side reach their second semi final in three years, with the games taking place on January 8 and February 5.
The only bad news for the victors was Bruno Guimaraes and Fabian Schar picking up yellow cards and being suspended for the first leg. Tonali is looking confident, sharp and powerful after being nursed back into the team recently by his patient head coach. He has been linked with moves back to Italy, but his current form makes him untouchable.
Howe has unlocked a formula for getting the best out of Tonali by playing him as a deep lying central midfielder. Tonali had not scored since his debut for Newcastle on the first day of last season but saved a beauty for a huge game and his first strike since his betting ban.
Unlike Brentford, the home side played their strongest line up. Tino Livramento charged down the right wing and his cross was cleared to the edge of the box by Nathan Collins. Tonali was lurking and drilled a sweetly struck volley through the defensive bodies past Mark Flekken.
Howe has encouraged his players to dream and not shied away from saying his aim is to win a first Toon domestic trophy since 1955. They were on theri professional A-game last night, determined, imposing and snuffing out danger, before taking a two goal lead, with Tonali again the scorer.
Will Newcastle win the Carabao Cup? Give us your prediction in the comments section.
(
Image:
Michael Regan/Getty Images)
England winger Anthony Gordon swung in a corner with Newcastle’s big man blocking in key areas, leaving space for Tonali to arrive late 14 yards out to jump and side foot home a clever finish. Swiss defender Schar added the and ended the game as a contest after 69 minutes, tapping home a Guimaraes cross, and Brentford had the air of a side who had given up.
Yoane Wissa netted an injury time consolation. Earlier they had a decent penalty claim when Martin Dubravka tried to snatch the ball from Wissa but there was no VAR to over-rule ref Sam Barrott.
Collins was lucky to escape punishment after his boot landed on Joelinton ’s face leaving him bloodied and unable to play after half time. The visitors lost Sepp Van Den Berg in warm up and Ethan Pinnock early to a muscle injury, decimating their back three options.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Learn more
Sky has slashed the price of its Sky Sports, Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £240 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Mirror – Sport