Newcastle 2-1 Fulham

&c

Newcastle took the first step towards absolution following the derby disaster by booking a third League Cup semi final in four years under Eddie Howe, the holders beating Fulham courtesy of a stoppage time Lewis Miley header.

The performance was better - it couldn't really have been much worse - without being electrifying, but it did feel like the result was more important than the performance tonight.

Wholesale changes, including an entirely changed front three, certainly helped, with Wissa's first start rewarded with a poacher's goal after ten minutes.

You could see Jacob Murphy practically salivating at the prospect of having someone in the box again, as he drove in low cross after low cross of varying quality, but it was certainly an improvement on our wingers bobbling down the wing and either running the ball out of play or turning back and passing safely to the full back.

In the centre, Willock and Ramsey both did ok either side of Bruno, while Lewis Miley did a very impressive job as a makeshift right back, Hall out with a sore hamstring and Tino once again unconvincing, this time at left back.

And in the second half, Tino slipped and twisted his knee, becoming the seventh current defensive casualty alongside Hall, Burn, Botman, Krafth, Trippier and Lascelles.

Even for us that feels unprecedented, but it gave Alex Murphy a chance for a very solid 15 minute cameo.

By this point we had long been level, conceding a cheap goal five minutes after opening the scoring, as is custom.

But as the game drifted towards penalties (we had no shots between the 66th minute and the 90th minute), our re-energised midfield - by this point led by Tonali who looked like he had a point to prove - drove us forward, setting up Miley in the box.

His accurate left footed snapshot was very well saved by the keeper, but from the resulting Tonali corner, Miley managed to contort himself as he was pushed and nod home a glancing header in the 92nd minute.

For once, we managed to see out the remaining six minutes, a trick we only seem capable of performing against Fulham.

The draw was unkind, with Man City first visiting St James' in a two-legged semi final, but the alternatives were Chelsea or either Arsenal or Palace, so there are no easy draws at this stage.

Last season I didn't give us a chance of beating Arsenal over two legs, but City - and our form this season - are an entirely different foe.

Still, as the holders, we should go in with no fear, having done incredibly well to get back to this stage.

Onwards, and just hopefully, upwards.