Newcastle United, the Carabao Cup holders, showcased their formidable squad depth by securing a comfortable 4-1 victory over League One leaders Bradford City in the third round.
Despite making seven changes from the weekend, including handing a debut to goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, manager Eddie Howe fielded a strong side featuring Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, and Sven Botman, signaling they were taking the defense of the trophy “real serious,” according to Bradford manager Graham Alexander.
The win provided a crucial boost to Newcastle’s attack, which had struggled for goals in recent weeks. The four-goal haul was the first time they had netted that many since April, driven by timely braces from William Osula and Joelinton.
Osula, a 22-year-old Danish forward, is now the club’s top scorer this term with three goals. Howe praised the striker’s ambition, stating he is “very driven” and “justifying” his selection.
The result confirmed Howe’s belief that healthy competition is driving the team: “Everyone in their position will be looking over their shoulder… A bad game can see you miss football and no-one wants that.”
Newcastle will host Spurs in the fourth round.
