EFL Cup Round-up: Tottenham to face holders Newcastle after both cruise through round three
Tottenham cruised into the fourth round of the EFL Cup as Thomas Frank’s side beat Doncaster Rovers 3-0 on a night that also saw holders Newcastle United progress in style and wins for Arsenal and Manchester City.
Spurs can look forward to a fourth-round tie with Newcastle at St James’ Park, after the draw pitted them against Eddie Howe’s side in a mouthwatering tie.
Thomas Frank made seven changes to the team that drew 2-2 with Brighton and Hove Albion last Saturday, but Spurs still had far too much for the League One side.
João Palhinha put Tottenham ahead in the 14th minute, doing so in spectacular fashion with an overhead kick after Doncaster failed to clear from a corner.
Jay McGrath turned Wilson Odobert’s cross into his own net three minutes later to double Tottenham’s lead and leave Doncaster with a mountain to climb.
Spurs were frustrated in their efforts to make the scoreline more emphatic but, after Lucas Bergvall had a goal disallowed for offside, Brennan Johnson added the finishing touch with the final kick of the game, the win keeping alive Tottenham’s hopes of going one better than last season’s run to the semi-finals.
Newcastle United 4-1 Bradford City
Newcastle have struggled for goals in the Premier League, but the competition in which they ended their 70-year wait for a domestic major trophy last season provided plenty of tonic as they put the League One leaders to the sword.
Joelinton slotted into the bottom-right corner from close range in the 17th minute to open the scoring. Two minutes later Will Osula put the Magpies in command when he latched onto Bruno Guimarães’ throughball and fired beyond the impressive Sam Walker.
Newcastle had 27 shots on goal, but it wasn’t until the 75th minute that Joelinton made it 3-0 when he repeated the feat from the first half in coolly slotting beyond Walker.
Yet there was soon a moment to savour for the visitors and boyhood Newcastle fan Andy Cook, who fired an unstoppable long-range strike in off the crossbar after Lewis Miley’s poor clearance was intercepted.
Normal service was resumed by Osula, though, the Dane doubling his tally in the 87th minute by turning home Harvey Barnes’ low cross to the far post.