Festive cheer will be in abundance at St James’ Park this week as Newcastle prepare for a long-awaited return to competitive action, and Howe’s side have only known how to win in the final few months of the calendar year.
The Magpies entered the World Cup break on a six-game winning streak in all competitions – surging to third in the Premier League table after winning each of their last five in the top flight – but they needed penalties to overcome Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup third round after a goalless draw.
Tranmere Rovers also fell to Newcastle’s superiority in the second round of the EFL Cup, and two winter friendlies with Al Hilal and Rayo Vallecano earlier this month ended in 5-0 and 2-1 successes for Howe’s men respectively.
Sean Longstaff and Chris Wood were on target against Rayo Vallecano on Saturday before Matt Targett’s own goal cancelled out the clean sheet, and a second EFL Cup quarter-final appearance in three seasons is within touching distance for Newcastle, who also made it to the last eight in 2020-21.
However, not since reaching the final in the 1975-76 season have the Magpies managed to go further than the quarter-finals, but restoring the glory days of silverware is high on the agenda for the club’s new owners and Howe, who will have no room for sentiment on Tuesday.
Everton cannot banish memories of their last two trips to the Vitality Stadium quickly enough, as Bournemouth entered the World Cup break on the back of two dominant successes over the Merseyside club in the EFL Cup and Premier League respectively.
After advancing to the last 16 of the EFL Cup after a thumping 4-1 win over the Toffees, Bournemouth hosted Everton in the top flight only four days later and marched to another romping three-goal success, as Jaidon Anthony, Marcus Tavernier and Kieffer Moore made the net ripple.
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A wholly positive interim period for Gary qO’Neil convinced the Cherries board to hire the 39-year-old as their new permanent manager, with negotiations apparently breaking down with Marcelo Bielsa, and his Cherries side found a taste for goals with 12 strikes in their last four games before the World Cup.
Christmas does not bring a welcoming fixture list for Bournemouth, though, as they resume Premier League duties away to Chelsea on December 27, and they travel to Newcastle having failed to win any of their last four away matches – drawing two before suffering back-to-back losses to West Ham United and Leeds United.
Three quarter-final exits in 2015, 2018 and 2019 represent the Cherries’ furthest runs in the EFL Cup to date, and Bournemouth managed to come away from St James’ Park with a 1-1 Premier League draw in September, but the Magpies are now unbeaten in six versus their Southern counterparts since a 1-0 loss in November 2017.
