The semi-finals of the EFL Cup beckon with Southampton hosting Newcastle United in the first leg of their tie, where both sides will be fancying their chances of adding their first EFL Cup trophy to their cabinets. Southampton were riding a three-game winning streak prior to their 1-0 Premier League (PL) loss against Aston Villa at the weekend, and with that the fifth of their last six competitive fixtures decided by a one-goal margin (W3, L3), another tight affair would not surprise.
That was exactly the case during their last venture to this stage of the competition, where a pair of 1-0 wins saw them eliminate Liverpool in the 2016/17 campaign, the second of their three EFL Cup semi-final ties in which they progressed to the final. No Saints player was alive the last time their club took on Newcastle in this competition (W 4-1 in 1968/69), so this will be a new experience of sorts.
Newcastle have dominated their more recent affairs with Southampton across all competitions, losing only one of the last 11 H2H meetings (W7, D3), the most recent of which was a 4-1 PL triumph at St Mary’s last November. That was in the midst of some outstanding form across four months that has seen them lose just one of their last 19 competitive fixtures (W12, D6), collecting a remarkable 13 clean sheets in the process.
The Magpies will therefore waltz into their second ever EFL Cup semi-final tie full of confidence, looking to replicate their success at this stage in the 1975/76 season. Suggested by their overall form, Newcastle have proven themselves hard to beat on the road throughout 2022/23, losing only twice in their 12 competitive matches (W5, D5). That is something they’ll need to call upon to take the next step as they have lost their last two away matches when playing PL opposition in the EFL Cup.
Players to watch: Southampton’s Ché Adams is the joint-top scorer in this season’s EFL Cup with four goals, contributing to him losing only one match in the competition when getting on the scoresheet (W3, D1). Newcastle’s chief destroyer this season Miguel Almirón will want to get his team off to a fast start, after netting four of his last five goals before half-time.
Hot stat: Southampton have conceded the first goal in all but one of their last 13 matches across all tournaments. #SOUTHAMPTON #NEWCASTLE #CARABAOCUP