These players acquired injuries during their most recent victory against Fulham, which could result in their absence from the match. Eddie Howe, the manager, has stated his concern on the potential disruption that might result from the absence of Schar, adding that it would be a huge blow to the club.
Isak, who was sidelined for the Fulham match due to a groin injury, was given a more positive prognosis by Howe, who highlighted the importance of cautious treatment in order to prevent a prolonged absence. During the upcoming encounter against Chelsea, Howe confirmed that there is a possibility that Isak would be able to participate.
On a more upbeat note, Newcastle was pleased to have center defender Sven Botman return to the team after he had been sidelined for three months due to a knee injury. The influence of Botman was lauded by Howe, who stated that certain players greatly improve the performance of the squad and foster trust among their teammates.
In spite of Newcastle’s poor performance in the League Cup throughout its history, which includes finishing in second place in 1976 and 2017 respectively, Howe took motivation from the team’s recent experience at Wembley Stadium in February. He is of the opinion that this will be beneficial to their ongoing effort.
Chelsea, on the other hand, has a long and illustrious history of success in the League Cup, having won it five times, with the most recent victory coming in the year 2015. Since the end of October, Chelsea’s home performance has been on the rise, despite the fact that the season has been difficult.
Although Newcastle has been on a losing record away from home for the past five games, Howe is optimistic about the team’s capacity to prevail despite the challenges they face. As evidence of the team’s resiliency and readiness to compete, he cited their triumph over Manchester United on the road and their performance being competitive against Paris Saint-Germain. Both of these games were played away from home.