Football London

Liam Delap's injury return for Chelsea ended in disastrous fashion as the striker was shown a red card soon after coming off the subs bench.

The summer signing has missed the last six weeks with a hamstring injury, but he returned against Wolves in the Carabao Cup fourth round, only to be shown two yellow cards in the space of seven minutes on his return.

A pull-back on Yerson Mosquera was the reason for his first caution, with another yellow coming shortly after a foul on Emmanuel Agbadou.

As a result, he will be suspended for this weekend's Premier League clash against rivals Tottenham. Thankfully for Delap, though, his dismissal did not really impact the result.

Chelsea flew into the lead with Andrey Santos, Tyrique George and Estevao Willian all on-target in the first half.

Tolu Arokodare and David Moller Wolfe brought the Midlands side back into proceedings - before Enzo Maresca made several changes which included the introduction of Delap.

He left the pitch just 26 minutes after coming on having been shown two quick-fire and needless yellow cards. Jamie Gittens scored a fourth for Chelsea soon after before Wolfe's second set up a nervy conclusion. The Blues held on to secure a spot in the quarter-finals, though.

While that is one positive, Maresca will be impacted by Delap's decisions this weekend, as he will be suspended which likely puts more pressure on Joao Pedro to feature despite concerns over his fitness. He also admitted that Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo were dealing with injuries.

"Probably they are players that need to be protected for many reasons," he said. "So probably tomorrow we'll see. But yeah, Enzo, Moises, Joao, they are all players that for different reasons we need to protect them.

Maresca was asked about potentially winning the Carabao Cup during his press conference on Tuesday with the Chelsea boss making his feelings clear.

"Yeah, absolutely," he said when asked if the deeper Chelsea go in the competition, the more hungry they are to win it. "As you said, it's three games away from the final - so we need to have a desire to play for that. As we said many times, we need to go game-by-game.

"Now the first one is Wolves. We need to be focused on that. And then hopefully winning the game we can think about the next one."

Thomas Frank has just spoken to the media after Tottenham's Carabao Cup fourth-round clash at Newcastle

Thomas Frank has faced the media after Tottenham's 2-0 defeat to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening.

Nick Woltemade’s sixth goal of the season and Fabian Schar’s 24th-minute opener was enough for the holders to progress to the quarter-final of the competition.

Frank spoke to the press after the match and below is every word the Dane had to say.

What did you make of the game and the performance today?

"I think it was a very even game. I think it was small margins that decided it. I think our performance was good. I think the way we played the game, especially how we built it from behind, phase one, especially phase two, I think we controlled the game much more. I think we had some short connections in the middle of the pitch. I think we found Lucas and Xavi in good positions.

"So I think it was one of our better offensive performances for the season. You could say it was not like we created five hundred percent chances, but we created some really big chances.

"I think Ramsdale had some really good saves. And then I think we had six, seven very good moments where with Richarlison arriving half a second too late, the final pass could have had even more cutting edge quality to have created even more.

"So overall, I'm happy with the performance. Of course, I'm super disappointed that we lost. And I'm super disappointed that we're out. We would love to progress and be in the draw tonight."

Encouraging that the slightly different system the last two matches has had a positive impact?

"Yeah, definitely. I think both Everton and Newcastle, both games looked much more better in the structure we tried to build to hit players in the space between lines. If that opened up or of course around if it's too close. But you're right, I think first half against Everton had it. I think throughout this game, I think we found good positions."

Why was Vicario left out?

"He had a smaller thing that had to be done but he'll be ready for Chelsea."

And Odobert?

"Odobert had a side strain unfortunately, that kept him out for this game. Also we need to assess him but it could look positive for Chelsea."

There's been a few injuries building up. Is this something you're concerned about?

"No. Of course I would like to have everyone fit and available. We know injuries is part of it. It's up to me to find solutions. I think some of the ones we had are relatively, how can I say, unlucky. It's how quick you get them back. But a contact injury to Maddison, Bissouma. A knee thing with Destiny, we can't do too much about that. Dom mishit the ball. Yeah."

Unhappy with some of the decisions? Spence wasn't allowed back into position for first goal?

"Yeah, I think that was clear. I think for me, we conceded two goals because of two mistakes, in my opinion. Unfortunately, the ref was part of the mistake in the first one. I'm not saying there's things we can't do better, but his boot is off, we need to tie his shoelace and tie his boot. And you can clearly see on the footage afterwards that the whole boot is off, so we need to do it. And it's minute 23, it's not like we delayed the game for 10 minutes and we have one goal up. It's common sense to allow him time to get in.

"So as soon as he had the boot on, the ref let it go. And then, to make it perfect, Djed's man, he had to mark, was Schar, that scored. So that's why we were very animated. I think that was the biggest one. I think the rest was fine. There's always small bits you can be irritated about, but it's very difficult to ref a game. But this, for me, was unfortunately a big mistake. And then we made a mistake ourselves on the second one. So small margins decided the game today.

Hard to pick your team tonight?

"It was very difficult, to be honest. You said that Newcastle made eight changes, we made four. But I think we made four because we wanted to compete and I think we competed. Unfortunately, we just dropped out on the wrong end of it. So, of course, as you say, it's a busy schedule. It's a balance to make a very competitive team that can perform and tactically still hit the criteria we want to hit. We played Everton, four changes, Newcastle four changes and then Chelsea on Saturday.

"Some you need to rest, others you need to be able to perform. So, of course, I'm very disappointed we couldn't continue. I think we have 5,000 fans travelling. So we're more than pleased, happy that they're travelling this long way on a late night and give us all the backings. Unfortunately, we couldn't give them back a win."

Assume Archie Gray would have started tonight if he wasn't injured? Training injury?

"He would have started. He got a contact to the calf in Monaco. And probably in there or whatever also picked up a calf sprain."

On rotation

Frank: "It was very difficult, to be honest. You said that Newcastle made eight changes, we made four. But I think we made four because we wanted to compete and I think we competed.

"Unfortunately, we just dropped out on the wrong end of it. So, of course, as you say, it's a busy schedule.

"It's a balance to make a very competitive team that can perform and tactically still hit the criteria we want to hit. We played Everton, four changes, Newcastle four changes and then Chelsea on Saturday. Some you need to rest, others you need to be able to perform."

On injuries

Frank on Vicario: "He had a small thing that he had to be done but he'll be ready for Chelsea."

On Odobert: "Side strain. We need to assess him."

Here are our Tottenham player ratings after Spurs crashed out of the Carabao Cup following a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle at St James' Park

Tottenham's Carabao Cup journey came to an end on Tyneside as they fell to a frustrating defeat at the hands of holders Newcastle.

Spurs, who made four changes from Sunday's 3-0 Premier League win at Everton, never truly got going on a night where they were left angered by the officials. The hosts opened the scoring on 24 minutes when Fabian Schar glanced home Sandro Tonali's cross.

Tottenham were incensed the goal should not have stood as referee Chris Kavanagh seemingly did not allow Djed Spence to get back into position after adjusting his boot.

Thomas Frank's side had a few bright moments on the counter-attack but lacked conviction and belief when they got into the penalty area.

Newcastle then doubled their lead shortly after half-time when Nick Woltemade headed home Joe Willock's cross with Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky left in no man's land.

Here is how the Tottenham players rated at St James' Park.

Antonin Kinsky

Kicking was good but had to do better for the second goal. Came to claim but never got there, handing Nick Woltemade the simplest of tasks. 6

Pedro Porro

Made a good block to deny Jacob Ramsey early in the match but spent a lot of the game - as captain - arguing with the referee. 6

Kevin Danso

Should have listened to a shout from Antonin Kinsky before nodding ball out for corner before Fabian Schar's opener. Good and bad moments. 6

Joao Palhinha

Filled in at centre-back. Made a brilliant, brave block to stop Joe Willock's shot inside the opening five minutes. Booked for dissent, Spurs missed his bite in the middle of the park but he did well at the back. 7

Djed Spence

Made some erratic decisions in possession and didn't always look after the ball. Also went to ground too easy trying to win fouls that were not given. 5

Rodrigo Bentancur

Got through plenty of unselfish work in the middle of the park. Played with intensity and gave his all, snapping into tackles. 6

Pape Matar Sarr

Ghosted through large spells of the match. Did force brilliant save from Aaron Ramsdale on hour mark. Has craved a starting berth but failed to make an impression. 5

Brennan Johnson

Battled through a few first-half knocks. Flashed a drive across the face of goal that just evaded Richarlison at the far post. Too streaky throughout the game, passenger at times. Must do more to keep his place. Fans cheered when he was subbed for Mohammed Kudus. 5

Lucas Bergvall

Put one across face of goal for Richarlison, who was just ahead of the ball. Finished first half strongly but then disappeared in the second half. 6

Xavi Simons

Started poorly with a long wayward pass that went out of play but responded very well. Grew in confidence and drew a booking from Malick Thiaw. Best showing when he has started a match and arguably Tottenham's best player. 7

Richarlison

Booked for remonstrations after Newcastle opener. Exploded at Chris Kavanagh as he felt Djed Spence was not allowed to get back into position before Newcastle corner. Lacked sharpness inside penalty box, nodded headed effort straight at Aaron Ramsdale in first half. Was isolated but lacked conviction. 5

Subs

Randal Kolo Muani

Lacked service which is frustrating from a Spurs perspective because Richarlison had several chances before being taken off that Kolo Muani may well have stuck away. Had a good run but ran into the ref. 6

Mohammed Kudus

Misplaced a pass as he looked to launch a counter shortly after coming on. Got into heated row with Joelinton after being wiped out by the Brazilian. 6

Mathys Tel

Tottenham Hotspur have been told they "didn't defend well enough" to prevent Fabian Schar's opening goal for Newcastle United, despite protests against it being allowed to stand.

Schar opened the scoring at St. James' Park in the 24th minute when he headed Sandro Tonali's corner home - past Antonin Kinsky. However, Spurs players were furious with referee Chris Kavanagh after Djed Spence was left out of position when the corner was taken due to him tying his laces.

"The Spurs fans are furious and so are the players," commentator Sam Matterface said during ITV's coverage of the Carabao Cup game. "Pedro Porro is leading the charge and having a word with referee Chris Kavanagh for allowing them to take that set-piece when Djed Spence was still tying his shoelaces."

Sue Smith added: "All the talk was about set-pieces - and how good Spurs were - both managers conceded that Newcastle also were [dangerous].

"He's still putting his boot on. Manages to stand up, but you see, Schar, it's too easy. I think it's [Lucas] Bergvall making him. Spurs are trying to make a complaint to the referee that they weren't ready. Certainly, Fabian Schar was. Simple ball into the box, a number of players running, getting the contact, not defending well enough."

Richarlison was booked for his protests after the goal went in. Speaking about the goal on Sky Sports, meanwhile, Jamie Redknapp admitted he felt sorry for Thomas Frank's side.

"It's certainly a contentious one. If you actually look at the corner before the goal, you can see Djed Spence has an important role in this goal," he said when showing a corner defended by Spurs prior to Schar's opener.

"There's Spurs' set-up, and they've got a few players in good areas, Djed is there marking [Malick] Thiaw and [Nick] Woltemade - marking zonal as well.

"He's in that space, and this is important. Now they [Newcastle] try to do a clever one here with Harvey Barnes attacking the ball, they've [Spurs] got a numerical advantage when that happens. What subsequently happens when they get their next corner, [Anthony] Elanga and Djed Spence go in for a challenge. Elanga's boot actually caught Djed Spence's.

"There's no communication - obviously - because they've got a goalkeeper who hasn't been playing for a while. Spence gets his studs caught in his boot so his laces are messed up. He's got to get his shoes back on.

"I'm not one who gives footballer's a lot of sympathy, but I genuinely have sympathy for him here. I'd just say to Chris Kavanagh, have a breath, let him come back in.

"Pedro Porro is going to say to him [the referee]; 'Just wait'. You've got Richarlison; 'Just wait a second here'. The numerical advantage that Newcastle have plays an important role.

"Spence doesn't get in in time, and Schar gets up. I think it has huge implications on the goal."

The final tie

And finally Newcastle United will have a repeat of their most recent Premier League encounter against Fulham

Tie 2 and 3

Cardiff will be at home for their quarter-final tie against Chelsea.

Manchester City will also be on their own patch and they are set to face Brentford.

The draw is underway

Sky Sports has returned from that ad break with the three pundits now in a different room.

McAnuff is drawing the home teams while Redknapp is picking out the balls for the teams set to be at home

And the first tie out is Arsenal who will be hosting Crystal Palace

Draw is up next

We have had it confirmed by Mark Chapman that the Carabao Cup quarter-final draw is *finally* on the way...

An Arne Slot interview has arrived first though, alongside another ad break, though it is very likely this is the last set of images before the draw is completed by Jamie Redknapp and Jobi McAnuff.

Getting closer to the draw

We have now heard from Newcastle goal-scorers Nick Woltemade and Fabian Schar with some analysis on those strikes also completed.

Magpies boss Eddie Howe is now speaking to Sky Sports though...

We promise there is a draw to come tonight, it will just take a little bit of patience.

What time is the draw?

With every Carabao Cup fourth round tie now concluded, the quarter-final draw will be the focus.

Following some post-match analysis from Newcastle United's win over Tottenham and some of the other ties, eight balls will be drawn in the space of just one minute which will decide the line-up.

That is expected to take place at roughly 10:30pm.

Newcastle complete the set

Newcastle United are through and thus Tottenham have been eliminated which means the full Carabao Cup quarter-final line-up is complete!

Below are the confirmed ball numbers:

Man City among four teams to confirm qualification

Manchester City, Crystal Palace, Arsenal and Chelsea have all qualified for the Carabao Cup quarter finals.

The latter came out on the right side of a chaotic seven-goal thriller over Wolves while the Eagles comfortably strode past Liverpool with a 3-0 win.

Man City came from behind to beat Swansea City 3-1 while Arsenal beat Brighton 2-0 after second-half strikes from Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka.

Three more goals in round four ties

Arsenal, Wolves and Newcastle United have all scored during the early stages of second halves.

Ethan Nwaneri was on target for the Gunners despite a dominant first 45 minutes from Brighton. Tolu Arokodare has also pulled one back for Wolves, though Chelsea still lead 3-1.

At St James' Park, Nick Woltemade has scored to double Newcastle's lead with Antonin Kinsky arguably at fault for that goal.

Half-time scores

Four of the five Carabao Cup ties this evening have hit half-time with Newcastle United vs Tottenham 30 minutes in at St James Park and the hosts in front.

Chelsea are three goals to the good against Wolves while Manchester City are level at 1-1 away to Swansea. Arsenal and Brighton are also drawing but with no goals scored while Crystal Palace are flying away to Liverpool with Ismalia Sarr bagging a first-half brace.

Carabao Cup winner odds

Liverpool are the bookies' favourites to go one better than last season and win this season's Carabao Cup.

To do that however, Arne Slot's side must improve with Manchester City, Arsenal and Newcastle - also among the favourites - certainly in the conversation. With that being said, here is how the odds look:

Betfair – English League Cup Outright Winner

Liverpool 7/2

Man City 9/2

Arsenal 11/2

Chelsea 7/1

Newcastle 8/1

Tottenham 9/1

Brighton 10/1

Fulham 12/1

Brentford 12/1

Crystal Palace 14/1

Wolves 16/1

Swansea 50/1

Cardiff 80/1

Teams confirmed

The team news for this evening's Carabao Cup games have been confirmed...

The big news at Arsenal sees 17-year-old striker Andre Harriman-Annous named in the starting XI. Another forward dominates the topics at Chelsea with Liam Delap settling for a place on the bench after missing the last two months with a hamstring injury.

Micky van de Ven has been plagued by problems in that area but he has been given a welcome rest as he has been named on the bench for Tottenham vs Newcastle United.

Story of the round so far

On Tuesday night, Brentford and Fulham secured their spots in the quarter-finals with wins against lower-league opposition. The Bees eased past Grimsby Town while Fulham were taken to penalties at Wycombe Wanderers.

In the Welsh derby, League One side Cardiff City came out on top against Wrexham thanks to Will Fish's winner in the 71st minute.

When will the quarter-final ties be played?

They are due to take place during the week commencing Monday December 15 with most matches kicking off on the Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17.

The actual fixtures will be disclosed closer to the time.

Quarter-final ball numbers

Here are the ball numbers you need to know for the Carabao Cup quarter-final draw:

How to watch the quarter final draw

The draw will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports News. Subscribers will also be able to watch on the Sky Go app.

It will always be livestreamed via the tournament's social media channels.

When is the quarter-final draw?

The draw will take place this evening, following the conclusion of the Newcastle vs Tottenham match.

That game starts at 8pm, meaning the draw is expected to commence at around 10.15pm, although it could be later if the game finishes level after 90 minutes.

Frank and Richarlison furious

Richarlison has just been booked for his remonstrations after that Newcastle opener.

Djed Spence was adjusting his boot, which had come off.

Thomas Frank is also unhappy and he's made that clear to the fourth official.

Frank's midfield dilemma

Thomas Frank faces a midfield dilemma on Wednesday night when he selects his Tottenham team to face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup. The Dane has already said on record during Monday’s press conference that he’s considering changes as he seeks to strike the right balance on Tyneside.

Archie Gray looks set to miss the trip after picking up a muscular injury in training. Gray had been in line to start in midfield after recently featuring at left-back in the 0-0 Champions League draw at Monaco.

The young Englishman has been itching for more opportunities particularly in the centre of the park. Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur have played plenty of football to date and there is a strong chance Palhinha could fill in at centre-back if Frank decides to rest Micky van de Ven.

Bentancur is also the kind of player you can depend on in these type of matches when the home team are expected to enjoy large spells of possession. The Uruguayan is in form but this could be the chance to hand him some rest ahead of the visit of Chelsea.

Pape Matar Sarr looks a shoo-in as the Senegal international scored on Sunday at the Hill Dickinson Stadium and has been desperately out of favour of late. Sarr always provides huge energy in the middle of the pitch and he’ll be keen to send another message to his head coach if he gets the nod.

Who partners him is now up for debate but there appears to be a serious chance Lucas Bergvall could play as a No.8. The Swede has had a mixed campaign to date after winning Tottenham’s Player of the Year award last term.

Double Newcastle blow

Eddie Howe has delivered an update on his Newcastle squad ahead of Wednesday night's Carabao Cup clash with Tottenham. The holders are bidding to retain the trophy following their historic triumph over Liverpool at Wembley back in March.

However, the Magpies do not have a fully fit squad available and full-backs Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento remain absent through injury.

Hall picked up a hamstring issue in the 4-0 Champions League win over Union Saint-Gilloise in Brussels and he remains sidelined. Meanwhile, Livramento is still out after picking up a knee ligament injury in the 2-1 defeat to Arsenal last month.

There is also doubt over the availability of centre-back Sven Botman, who suffered a nasty cut to his head in the dramatic 2-1 win over Fulham last weekend.

Read more here.

Tottenham suffer devastating injury blow

Archie Gray is set for a spell on the sidelines, becoming the 10th first-team player out injured for Tottenham manager Thomas Frank.

The former Leeds midfielder, 19, was in contention to start in Wednesday night's Carabao Cup clash with Newcastle at St James' Park. But it's understood the versatile youngster has picked up an injury in training and will play no part in the clash.

There has been no confirmation on the severity of the issue, although reports have suggested that the highly-regarded star could be out for around a month after hurting his calf.

Latest HERE.

Tottenham predicted XI vs Newcastle

All eyes are on Thomas Frank's team selection as Tottenham make the long journey to the North East to face Carabao Cup holders Newcastle at St James' Park.

Spurs have already been battling fixture congestion since the return of club football and with a tasty Premier League derby with Chelsea on the horizon, Frank will be cautious that he needs to keep his squad fresh.

Despite that, the League Cup represents a chance for the Dane to win his first trophy as Tottenham boss and he is unlikely to take the competition too lightly, particularly given the strength of the opposition.

Here's how we think Frank will line-up his Spurs team this evening.

Tottenham are expected to shuffle their pack when they bid to eliminate holders Newcastle from the Carabao Cup

Thomas Frank faces a midfield dilemma on Wednesday night when he selects his Tottenham team to face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup. The Dane has already said on record during Monday’s press conference that he’s considering changes as he seeks to strike the right balance on Tyneside.

Archie Gray looks set to miss the trip after picking up a muscular injury in training. Gray had been in line to start in midfield after recently featuring at left-back in the 0-0 Champions League draw at Monaco.

The young Englishman has been itching for more opportunities particularly in the centre of the park. Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur have played plenty of football to date and there is a strong chance Palhinha could fill in at centre-back if Frank decides to rest Micky van de Ven.

Bentancur is also the kind of player you can depend on in these type of matches when the home team are expected to enjoy large spells of possession.

The Uruguayan is in form but this could be the chance to hand him some rest ahead of the visit of Chelsea.

Pape Matar Sarr looks a shoo-in as the Senegal international scored on Sunday at the Hill Dickinson Stadium and has been desperately out of favour of late.

Sarr always provides huge energy in the middle of the pitch and he’ll be keen to send another message to his head coach if he gets the nod.

Who partners him is now up for debate but there appears to be a serious chance Lucas Bergvall could play as a No.8.

The Swede has had a mixed campaign to date after winning Tottenham’s Player of the Year award last term.

There is also a chance he could play as a No.10, although given Xavi Simons was subbed on the hour mark at Everton, it wouldn’t be a surprise to the Dutchman handed a starting berth of Tyneside.

Ultimately, the key factor that will shape Frank’s selection is whether he’s prepared to unleash Van de Ven, Palhinha and Bentancur again.

Spurs are in the midst of an unforgiving run of fixtures and the Carabao Cup is unlikely to be of greater priority than both the Premier League and Champions League, respectively.

Newcastle United host Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup fourth round on Wednesday evening, with both sides having a number of injury concerns to contend with

As Tottenham Hotspur prepare for their lengthy trip to the North East to take on Carabao Cup holders Newcastle United at St James' Park, all eyes are on manager Thomas Frank's team selection.

With a demanding schedule since the return of club football and an enticing Premier League derby against Chelsea looming, Frank will be mindful of the need to maintain his squad's energy levels.

However, the League Cup offers the Danish manager an opportunity to secure his first piece of silverware at the helm of Spurs, so it's unlikely he'll underestimate the competition, especially considering the calibre of the opposition.

With injuries to contend with, Frank must determine how best to manage his team over the next week, with rotation likely in key positions. Below are all the injuries both teams have going into Wednesday's game.

Tottenham

Archie Gray

Injury: Unknown

Gray has picked up an injury in training and will play no part in Wednesday's match. There has been no confirmation on the severity of the issue.

Expected return: Unknown

Cristian Romero

Injury: Groin/Hip/Pelvic Injury.

Spurs centre-back Cristian Romero is expected to remain unavailable until the weekend. Frank has provided an update on Cuti's injury, stating: "Cuti was just out running on the grass with the performance guys. So, positive, progressing, but no time frame. I don't expect it to be a longer one."

Expected return: Unknown.

Defender Destiny Udogie is expected to be sidelined for about a week due to a knee injury.

Frank said: "Destiny is not on the grass yet, but still progressing, again, not a longer one."

Expected return: Unknown.

Dejan Kulusevski

Injury: Knee

Kulusevski is nursing a knee injury, is set to remain on the sidelines until late November.

Frank said: "He's a key, key player for us. Instead of putting an exact month on [his return]. I just want him back as quick as possible.

"I know the medical team and Dejan are working very hard on that... It's not tomorrow, hopefully not too far away."

Expected return: Fulham (H), November 29.

Dominic Solanke

Striker Dominic Solanke is making progress with his ankle injury, but he's unlikely to make a comeback on Wednesday.

Frank said: "Dom, positive, he's taking steps in the right direction and was on the grass on his own today. So, he's progressing forward."

Expected return: Unknown.

Ben Davies

Ben Davies is dealing with a thigh injury that he picked up during the international window and will be out for a few weeks.

Expected return: Unknown.

Radu Dragusin

Radu Dragusin has been out of action since suffering an ACL injury against Elfsborg in the Europa League in January.

Frank said: "He's progressing well. He's been on the grass for three weeks and is progressing as well as it should. We all know coming back from an ACL is a long one - he's on track - but it will be a few weeks before he's able to be involved."

Return date: Unknown.

Yves Bissouma

Injury: Ankle.

Bissouma will be sidelined for several weeks due to an ankle injury sustained while on international duty.

Frank said: "Biss, unfortunately, had a situation with the national team, I think everyone saw that, so he got a ligament injury to his ankle that will keep him out for weeks."

Return date: Unknown.

Kota Takai

Takai is anticipated to make a comeback in the next few weeks following an ongoing ankle problem. His fitness levels will need to be built up.

James Maddison

Maddison suffered an ACL rupture during a pre-season match and will be absent for a significant part of the season.

Newcastle United

Yoane Wissa

Injury: Knee.

Newcastle are yet to see their £55m summer signing after he injured his knee in action for DR Congo shortly after finalising a deal to join United. His recovery had a minor setback, but he is expected to feature in the coming weeks, although Howe has sounded a note of caution over his participation.

What Howe has said: "If you look at Yoane's situation, he will need almost a pre-season. Pre-season schedules that we give to players will be six weeks. And we do that for a reason, so we can build them up and they can play in various games, and then they're ready to perform. So I'm not saying he won't play for six weeks. But I think to get to his very best level, it will probably take that time."

Expected return: West Ham (A), November 2.

Lewis Hall

Injury: Hamstring.

The ex-Chelsea academy graduate has endured a frustrating run of fitness issues in 2025 but is nearing a comeback. United took a measured approach with him following his recovery from a lengthy problem during the summer, though he sustained a hamstring problem against Union Saint-Gilloise.

Nevertheless, Howe remains optimistic he could feature again shortly – possibly against West Ham next weekend.

What Howe has said: "Lewis is doing really well. He's been on the grass for a while and is pushing himself. He's done back-to-back sessions now. He'll hopefully not be too far away now."

Expected return: West Ham (A), November 2.

Tino Livramento

Injury: Knee.

The England full-back landed awkwardly on his knee after an aerial duel with Arsenal's William Saliba and has been absent since September.

He received an eight-week recovery timeframe, suggesting he may need to wait until after the November international break. What Howe has said: "Tino is on the grass for the first time today, and he's making really good progress, so we're really happy with him."

Expected return: Man City (H), November 22.

Sven Botman

Injury: Head.

Botman was substituted after sustaining a head knock during Fulham's leveller on Saturday. United protested for a foul, but replays suggested the contact appeared unintentional.

Nevertheless, the Dutch centre-back has avoided concussion, and whilst he might miss the midweek cup fixture, he should be available to feature straight away.

What Howe has said: "I think he's OK. There's no concussion, it was a cut, but a very good recommendation from the on-field physio to take him off."

Expected return: West Ham (A), November 2.

Harrison Ashby

Injury: Thigh.

With Livramento and Hall already sidelined, many believed it presented a chance for youngster Ashby to earn his senior debut following multiple loan moves. He appeared regularly during pre-season, but Howe disclosed recently that the ex-West Ham full-back was nursing a thigh complaint.

What Howe has said: "Unfortunately, at the moment Harrison is injured, and he has been injured for a period of time with a thigh injury, so we are waiting for him to be fit again."

Thomas Frank has called for the Carabao Cup semi-finals to be scrapped to give smaller clubs a better chance of winning the competition

Thomas Frank has made a plea for the two-legged Carabao Cup semi-finals to be scrapped in order to prevent the "same boring teams" from consistently winning the competition. Newcastle ended an 11-year streak of victories by Big Six clubs in the competition when they hoisted the trophy in March.

Meanwhile Crystal Palace claimed their first ever major trophy in the FA Cup and the current Premier League top-four table features Bournemouth and Sunderland. Ahead of Wednesday night's match against Newcastle, the former Brentford manager suggested that the League Cup schedule should be altered to give smaller teams a better shot at winning silverware.

"There should only be one semi-final," the Dane insisted. "I said that before at Brentford and that's why I'm very happy to say it again."

"For the smaller clubs, if you want to beat a bigger club, it's much easier to play only one game. So if we really want someone to break out and it's not the same boring teams that are winning - of course except for Spurs - then we need to skip one semi-final.

"For everyone else that plays so many games, it should only be one. So if it's about money then someone needs to fix it. If it's the Premier League playing money to the EFL, because as far as I understand it's because of that, so someone fix it. It should be very easy."

The last occasion the EFL Cup semi-final was contested over just one leg was during the Covid-affected 2020-21 campaign when Tottenham defeated Frank's then Brentford side 2-0. Spurs dismissed Jose Mourinho a week prior to falling to Manchester City in the final.

Frank's Bees were beaten 3-1 by Newcastle in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals last term following his decision to make five alterations. "That's a long time ago," said the Dane. "I remember we lost."

Frank's Tottenham outfit - who claimed the Europa League last season - have now climbed to third in the Premier League following five consecutive away matches without defeat and five strikes from set-pieces, including two headers from Micky van de Ven at Everton.

And the Dane, 52, revealed he had extensive experience developing such moves, beginning with his Under-12 side in Frederiksvaerk and subsequently his Denmark Under 17 national squad which overcame Jordan Pickford's England team at the Euros in 2011. "They were very, very good in playing football, **** at set pieces," he laughed.

"With a proper old school coaches called Viggo Jensen, we worked on it and we scored the first goal in the Euros against Serbia then we won 3-2, then we beat England 2-0 in the second game. But Brentford was the real game-changer.

"Especially with that focus from Matthew (Benham) but especially Rasmus Ankersen. If one should have credit for the long throws it's Rasmus Ankersen. He loves that. When we beat Arsenal on the first day on a long throw in the second goal he was very, very happy."