Eddie Howe and Newcastle United will have it all to do at the Etihad Stadium after we fell to a 2-0 defeat against Manchester City at St James’ Park.

After a goalless first half, where Yoane Wissa really should’ve opened the scoring early on, Antoine Semenyo and substitute Rayan Cherki’s close-range strikes were enough to give City the win.

It’ll now take a first win at the Etihad Stadium since 2014’s League Cup clash for us to stand a chance of progressing to the final and retaining our Carabao Cup crown.

Here’s what Howe had to say after full time, followed by the key quotes from his post-match presser:

On a tough result to take

After a very promising start to 2026, with dramatic and decisive wins in both the Premier League and Champions League, tonight’s defeat felt like a hard dose of reality for the lads, even if we still went toe to toe with an ever-formidable side.

We’ll be left rueing our missed opportunities, whilst Howe has identified one small mistake at the end as being potentially very costly to our chances of making the final.

“Yeah I think it was (tough to take). We’re disappointed with the last actions of the game, we didn’t get our set up right with the throw in, trying to chase a goal when probably at that stage you have to accept 1-0.”

“There were some key moments for us, I thought there wasn’t loads of chances for us but there was a few key ones that we could have done better with.

“Of course we’re frustrated we were down to 10 men when we conceded the first goal, that’s a tough one: JJ (Ramsey) goes off feeling his head in a tackle and we get punished for that. But that’s for another day, it went against us today.”

On an otherwise promising performance

We recorded the same number of shots as our opponents tonight (10) and we frankly should have converted at least one or two of them: Yoane Wissa’s first effort went over the bar, whilst James Trafford produced the best save of his young City career in the second half.

“I felt we were a threat in the game, I don’t know about on top, it was quite even. There was moments for both teams, probably more for them in the second half than the first.”

“But I thought we were sort of there throughout the game, that something could happen, even to the very end. That’s why I think 2-0 is really hard on us, and you know we’ve got to reflect on that end part of the game, got to defend that better.”

On more VAR controversy

Regardless of who progresses to the final when we meet at the Etihad in a fortnight, all this tie will likely be remembered for is the bonkers VAR decision that disallowed Antoine Semenyo’s second for an offside incurred by Erling Haaland.

Taking over five minutes to review, it completely killed the momentum of the clash, and has been universally panned by those in attendance and watching elsewhere, including Howe.

“I’ve got no idea what happened there. I’m waiting like everyone else is, I can’t see, I haven’t seen it again, I need to look at it again.”

“That one did (take its time). It was too long I think, I think no VAR decision in my opinion should take that long to come to a clinical decision.

“But it did and we had to react, it was a cold night so we don’t want players standing around for that length of time.”

On inconsistent rules and refereeing

Speaking of Semenyo, the Ghanaian winger was the main difference maker for City today, but many of our fans will feel rightfully aggrieved that the former Bournemouth star was even able to play tonight.

Until this season, players who appeared in any capacity for one club would be ineligible to play for another club should they transfer in January. However, the cup-tied rule has been scrapped, now much to our detriment. But of all the issues with tonight’s game, it’s not what Howe himself is most fixated on.

“I don’t think bitter is the right word, I think the rules are the rules. They’re there, I don’t think I can focus on that too much.

“I’d probably like to focus more on the fact we had 10 men when they scored their first goal because I just don’t get that.

“JJ’s gone down with a head injury, we’ll have to get an elbowed in the head and we get punished for that. I don’t see that that’s right.”

On chances of progressing to the final

If we want to make our third Carabao Cup final in four seasons, it’s going to take a truly Herculean effort to go to the Etihad, win by at least two clear goals, and knock out Guardiola’s side.

We’ve now won away in the blue half of Manchester in over a decade, but Howe refuses to accept that the tie is over by any stretch.

“It’s an uphill task for us, but it’s one we can achieve, we’re still in this tie. It’s not an ideal scoreline for us.

“We were looking at this game to be the one that gives us the catalyst to get through, now we’re gonna have to do it the hard way. It’s possible, and we’ll give it everything to try and achieve it.”

“We’re still alive, still in their fighting. We won by this scoreline at Arsenal last year and felt the tie was still very much alive. If we can get the next goal we’re still very much in it.”

On fixture congestion concerns

We’re not even halfway through a brutal January fixture list, with huge games in the Premier League and Champions League still to come over the next fortnight.

And whilst Howe has acknowledged that the fixture list is taking a physical toll on his stars, he has commended them for their perseverance, particularly for their courageous effort on Tuesday night against a City side who had a much easier FA Cup draw in their previous game compared to us.

“Yeah I think the extra time in the FA Cup was far from ideal for us, it was the worst preparation for this game. And I think there was an element of fatigue in our performance tonight.

“But that’s where I have to compliment the lads because they kept going against probably the worst opponents to expose that fatigue.”

“I can’t fault the players, I can’t fault the effort, and we’re still in the tie: I think anything’s possible still.”

Source: nufcblog.co.uk