With Newcastle United's 2-1 victory over Fulham at St James' Park, manager Eddie Howe once again proved himself to be the soul of the team.

Goals from Jorne Vesa and Lewis Myley secured Newcastle United's fourth appearance in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, with three of those leaps occurring during Howe's last four seasons in charge.

Before Howe joined Newcastle United in 2021, the team had only reached the Carabao Cup semi-final once in its more than 60-year history (1976).

However, the manager completely turned the tide. He not only ended the club's 70-year domestic title drought in March of this year, but also maintained amazing consistency over the past four years, leading the team to the semi-finals in both the 2022-23 and 2024-25 seasons.

When discussing this impressive achievement, Howe was very modest, attributing the credit to the players: "The key is always the players. We have a very professional team. The early stages of the Carabao Cup are always full of uncertainty, such as this year's tough match against Bradford. You have to survive these crucial moments."

"To win at a higher level, technique is certainly important, but I value the players' mentality under pressure even more. This is the secret to our success in advancing to the later stages of the competition."

Next, Newcastle United will face Manchester City in a two-legged semi-final. Howe stated that he greatly appreciates the two-legged format, believing it to be the unique charm of the League Cup. Facing a strong opponent, Newcastle United will once again launch their assault on the title.