EFL Cup Roundup: 25 Goals in Eight Matches
In an exhilarating night of English Football League (EFL) Cup action, Newcastle United clinched a memorable 3-0 victory over defending champions Manchester United, leading the charge into the quarter-finals alongside Liverpool, Chelsea, West Ham, Fulham, and Everton.
The evening was a goal-fest, with 19 goals lighting up the scoreboard across six matches, but it was Newcastle's dominant performance at Old Trafford that grabbed the headlines.
This impressive win for the Magpies marked a stark contrast from last season's final, sending them confidently into a quarter-final showdown with Chelsea. The EFL Cup results from the 1/8-finals were as follows:
Exeter 2-3 Middlesbrough
Mansfield 0-1 Port Vale
West Ham 3-1 Arsenal
AFC Bournemouth 1-2 Liverpool
Chelsea 2-0 Blackburn
Everton 3-0 Burnley
Ipswich 1-3 Fulham
Man Utd 0-3 Newcastle
Significantly, Manchester United and Newcastle made a combined 15 changes from their Premier League line-ups the preceding weekend. Despite the extensive squad rotation, Newcastle exerted dominance early on. Miguel Almiron and Lewis Hall — the latter netting his first senior goal with a remarkable long-range effort — ensured a 2-0 lead for Newcastle by halftime. Joe Willock's goal at the 60-minute mark sealed the victory for the visitors, condemning Man Utd to their second successive 3-0 defeat at home after their loss to Manchester City.
This result wasn't just any win; it marked Newcastle's most significant away triumph over Manchester United in 93 years. For Manchester United, the outcome meant back-to-back home losses with a three-goal margin for the first time since 1962, piling pressure on manager Erik ten Hag.
In another key match, West Ham triumphed over Arsenal in a 3-1 victory. A late consolation goal by Martin Odegaard did little to lift the spirits of Arsenal, who had already conceded three. Ben White’s own goal, along with finishes from Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen, powered West Ham’s victory. Arsenal's night was further marred by an injury to Emile Smith Rowe, possibly sidelining him for weeks.
Merseyside teams Everton and Liverpool also advanced. Everton’s 3-0 win over Burnley at Goodison Park saw goals from James Tarkowski, Amadou Onana, and Ashley Young. Liverpool faced a tougher challenge against AFC Bournemouth but emerged victorious with a 2-1 scoreline, thanks to goals from Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez.
Chelsea and Fulham, meanwhile, defeated their lower-league opponents, Blackburn and Ipswich, respectively. Chelsea's Benoit Badiashille and Raheem Sterling were on the scoresheet at Stamford Bridge, while Fulham enjoyed a 3-1 win at Ipswich.
Looking ahead, the quarter-final draw sets up some intriguing matches:
Everton vs. Fulham
Chelsea vs. Newcastle
Port Vale vs. Middlesbrough
Liverpool vs. West Ham
These ties, scheduled for the week commencing December 18, promise more thrilling action in this year's EFL Cup. With a mix of Premier League heavyweights and lower-division survivors, the stage is set for an unpredictable and exciting round of football.
