Newcastle beat Fulham late to set Man City semifinal contest in the Carabao Cup courtesy Lewis Miley’s late winner.
Lewis Miley heads dramatic late winner as holders Newcastle edge Fulham.
Enter the local hero to make up for a local disappointment. Few of the impressionable kids walking up Barrack Road for a pre-Christmas treat could have imagined their heroes having to hang on to the silverware this grimly before Lewis Miley’s stoppage-time winner, but Newcastle were never going to let go of the Carabao Cup without a fight after 56 years without a trophy before glorious victory at Wembley in March.
After the terrible derby loss at Sunderland, which cast a pall over St. James’ Park long before the Wednesday afternoon rain arrived, the Magpies had dominated without frequently striking the decisive blow. Instead, they were constantly threatened by their own self-doubt.
Manchester City await over two legs in January’s last four; “always the most difficult [team] to prepare for,” as Eddie Howe put it, but the manager was more focussed on his team’s power of recovery than projecting too far forward. “There are so many positives,” he said, with particular reference to “outstanding” match winner Miley.
“We loved last year,” Howe said. “We loved everything about the experience we went through, and the two-legged semi-final makes it unique.”
Bruno Guimarães had acknowledged in his programme notes that “we know that it will take time to put it right for you” and even if the manager had disagreed with some of his captain’s post-match virulence, he was candid after victory. “Sunday happened and we were devastated at ourselves,” he admitted, saluting the home fans who chanted his name. “Support for me is really support for the players, and I can’t thank them enough.”