A spot in the EFL Cup quarter-finals will be on the line when Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur face off in the fourth round at St. James’ Park on Wednesday.

The curtains will fall on the EFL Cup fourth round on Wednesday, with the day witnessing five ties. The action on the day will start with four simultaneous matches before ending with Newcastle United vs Tottenham Hotspur at St. James’ Park.

Newcastle United reached the EFL Cup fourth round by cruising to a 4-1 win over Bradford City in the previous stage, with Joelinton and William Osula scoring twice each. However, the Magpies have been inconsistent thus far in the 2025/26 season, enduring a topsy-turvy ride, which has recently seen another peak with a two-game winning run.

On the other hand, Tottenham Hotspur qualified for the EFL Cup fourth round by cruising to a 3-0 win over Doncaster Rovers in the previous stage. The Lilywhites have made considerable progress under Thomas Frank, who has transformed the team that previously languished close to the relegation zone under Ange Postecoglou. While Spurs have not enjoyed long winning runs, they have become hard to beat, losing only once since the September international break.

The most recent EFL Cup clash between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur ended in a 4-0 win for the North London club in December 2015. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.

Team News & Tactics

Newcastle United

Eddie Howe has no new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Newcastle United manager will be bereft of the services of only four first-team players vs Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.

Howe had been sweating over Sven Botman’s fitness after his substitution against Fulham this past weekend. However, the Dutchman should be available to take on Tottenham, although he will unlikely start on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Valentino Livramento (knee), Lewis Hall (hamstring), Harrison Ashby (thigh), and Yoane Wissa (knee) remain in the treatment room.

Aaron Ramsdale will likely start between the sticks, with Newcastle United lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him vs Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday. The backline will feature Emil Krafth, Malick Thiaw, Fabian Schar, and Dan Burn.

As for the midfield unit, Joelinton will retain his spot in the middle of the park, with Joe Willock and Lewis Miley joining him in the centre of the pitch. Finally, William Osula should lead the line for Newcastle United against Tottenham, with Anthony Elanga and Harvey Barnes being the two wide attackers.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Ramsdale; Krafth, Thiaw, Schar, Burn; Joelinton, Willock, Miley; Elanga, Osula, Barnes

Tottenham Hotspur

Like his counterpart in the Newcastle United dugout, Thomas Frank has no new issues to worry about ahead of the trip to St. James’ Park. The Tottenham Hotspur manager will be without as many as nine first-team players on Wednesday.

Cristian Romero is the most notable absentee, with the Argentine international recovering from a groin injury. The Tottenham Hotspur captain accompanies Radu Dragusin (knee), Ben Davies (hamstring), Destiny Udogie (knee), Kota Takai (foot), Yves Bissouma (ankle), James Maddison (knee), Dominic Solanke (ankle), and Dejan Kulusevski (knee) in the treatment room.

Antonin Kinsky will start between the sticks, with Tottenham Hotspur lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him vs Newcastle United on Wednesday. The backline will feature Pedro Porro, Archie Gray, Kevin Danso, and Djed Spence.

As for the midfield unit, Pape Matar Sarr and Lucas Bergvall will line up alongside Rodrigo Bentancur in the middle of the park. Finally, Richarlison will spearhead the Tottenham Hotspur attack against Newcastle United, with Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel completing the numbers in the offensive third.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Kinsky; Porro, Gray, Danso, Spence; Sarr, Bentancur, Bergvall; Odobert, Richarlison, Tel

Key Stats

• The last 16 meetings between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have been closely matched, with Spurs clinching eight wins to the Magpies’ six (D2). Recent history, however, shows Newcastle United having the edge with three successive wins.
• The head-to-head record in the EFL Cup favours Tottenham, with the North London club securing three wins and Newcastle United managing a victory only once (in the semi-finals of the 1975/76 edition).
• Tottenham Hotspur are on a five-game unbeaten run in away outings, with the latest victory on the road coming this past weekend against Everton.
• Newcastle United have won four of their last five games at St. James’ Park across all competitions.
• Joelinton is in line to make his 22nd Carabao Cup appearance for Newcastle United, just one short of Rob Lee’s all-time record.

Player to Watch

William Osula

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While Richarlison, Mathys Tel, and Anthony Elanga were viable candidates for this section, we have picked William Osula as the Player to Watch for Wednesday’s EFL Cup clash between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur at St. James’ Park.

Regular game time has eluded Osula, and recent reports have suggested that a winter exit may be on the cards for the young striker. However, the Dane has made his mark in his limited opportunities, and he netted a brace in the previous round of the EFL Cup. So, if he starts on Wednesday, Osula should be up for the task.

Prediction

Newcastle United 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Recent meetings between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have favoured the former, and they are closing the gap in the head-to-head record. However, Thomas Frank has forged a solid team since taking over from Ange Postecoglou, with Tottenham barely losing thus far in the 2025/26 season.

So, a closely-contested affair is on the cards, and we may have to wait until the final minutes to witness the match-winning goal. However, with Newcastle United becoming cup specialists under Eddie Howe, another impressive victory may be on the cards. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Howe and his charges, with William Osula delivering the goods again.