Newcastle vs Brentford predicted XIs: Confirmed team news and probable line-ups | OneFootball

Mid-table Premier League sides Newcastle United and Brentford will battle it out for a place in the EFL Cup’s final four when they go head-to-head on Tyneside.

The quarter-final fixture between the Magpies and the Bees takes place on Wednesday December 18th at St James’ Park, kicking off at 7.45pm and the contest will be televised on Sky Sports+.

Newcastle vs Brentford Predicted XIs

Joelinton has a one-match Premier League ban to serve at the weekend, so he seems certain to keep his place for the tussle against Brentford.

Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Dubravka; Trippier, Schar, Burn, Hall; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Gordon.

Brentford boss Thomas Frank often shuffles the pack for EFL Cup nights and he seems certain to ring the changes in an effort to protect some of his key players for Saturday’s Premier League clash at home to Nottingham Forest.

Newcastle vs Brentford Team News

Newcastle are likely to go strong as they target an end to a trophy drought which extends back to their Fairs Cup triumph in 1969.

Eddie Howe is expected to retain the bulk of the players responsible for Saturday’s 4-0 victory at home to Leicester and will almost certainly persist with Brazilian midfielder Joelinton, who will get an enforced rest at the weekend after picking up five Premier League yellow cards.

Sean Longstaff serves an EFL Cup suspension after being cautioned in each of the two previous rounds and goalkeeper Nick Pope is a doubt after a knee injury kept him out against the Foxes.

Callum Wilson (hamstring) and Jamaal Lascelles are expected to be out until February next year, while Emil Krafth (shoulder) and Sven Botman (knee) are pushing to return in the next couple of weeks.

Brentford manager Frank has a trickier selection and must consider which players are ready to go again after Sunday’s hard-fought 2-1 defeat at Chelsea.

He has frequently made changes for EFL Cup nights and could switch things around in attack with Fabio Carvalho and Kevin Schade in contention to replace Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo.

Kristoffer Ajer (foot) and Vitaly Janelt may be elevated to the starting XI after coming off the bench at Chelsea.

However, full-back options are limited by the absences of Rico Henry (knee) and Aaron Hickey (thigh) and midfielders Joshua Dasilva (knee) and Mathias Jensen (thigh) are not expected to be seen this side of Christmas Day.

Igor Thiago (knee) and Gustavo Nunes (back) are working their way back after long-term injuries but have featured in a behind-closed-doors game.

Home advantage may help Newcastle

Brentford were 4-2 winners at home to Newcastle in the Premier League earlier this month, but they will be bracing themselves for a tougher challenge at St James’ Park where they have a miserable record.

The Bees have been defeated on seven of their last eight Tyneside trips, including a 1-0 reverse in last season’s league encounter.

The Magpies are a tough nut to crack on familiar soil and have not tasted defeat in a home EFL Cup clash since a second-round tie against Burnley in August 2021, when they drew 0-0 and lost 4-3 on penalties.