Palace's League Cup run ends on penalties

Summary

• Vieira makes six changes to his XI, starting with a five man back line.
• Palace start strongly, as Mateta stings the palms of Pope in search of an opener.
• Newcastle grow into the game as half-time approaches.
• HT: Newcastle 0-0 Palace
• Ayew fires wide as Palace hit Newcastle on the break.
• Wood heads just wide under pressure from Guéhi.
• Almirón almost makes an instant impact from the bench, but Johnstone saves well.
• FT: Newcastle 0-0 Palace
• Newcastle win on penalties.

As knockout round ties go, there is hardly a more difficult task than heading to St James’ Park to face the country’s in-form side, but Palace started the game without fear or intimidation.

Indeed it was the Eagles with the best of the early chances, and twice Jean-Philippe Mateta found space for to fire at goal; the first was high, the second stung the palms of Nick Pope in goal.

The hosts hit back and ended the first-half with the lion’s share of possession, but Sam Johnstone was seldom tested in the Palace goal and there was a growing sense of unease within the stands.

A more familiar pattern was established after the restart as Newcastle dominated the ball, but the Eagles looked dangerous on the break. Jordan Ayew was a constant threat, and drove forwards towards goal before firing narrowly wide; he may have been better off looking for Mateta in support.

Newcastle’s best chances were coming in the air, and Chris Wood headed narrowly wide under pressure from Marc Guéhi before Johnstone was called into action from the resulting corner.

Eddie Howe strengthened from the bench, bringing on Bruno Guimaraes, Kieran Trippier and Miguel Almiron in quick succession, and they almost made an immediate impact: Trippier found Almiron in behind, but Johnstone got down well to save.

Newcastle pushed for a winner but to no avail, and with the game finishing goalless the tie was decided on penalties.

The hosts had a chance to win it through Bruno after misses from Milivojevic and Mateta, but he sent his penalty over the crossbar. Ebiowei was denied, however, and Newcastle progressed by the barest of margins.

Newcastle: Pope (GK), Manquillo (Trippier, 65), Lascelles, Burn (Botman, 65), Targett, Shelvey, Longstaff (Bruno Guimarães, 65), Joelinton (Willock, 85), Anderson (Almirón, 78), Saint-Maximin, Wood.

Subs not used: Karius (GK), Schär, Lewis, Murphy.

Palace: Johnstone (GK), Clyne, Ward, Tomkins, Guéhi, Mitchell, Hughes, Milivojevic, Ayew (Ebiowei, 78), Olise (Riedewald, 78), Mateta.

Subs not used: Whitworth (GK), Rodney, Balmer, Ozoh, Phillips, Gordon, Nascimento.

23:00

A cruel way to go out, but that’s it for Palace’s League Cup campaign this season.

Next up is Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday – the final fixture before the long World Cup break.

We’ll see you then.

Johnstone: It wasn't our night

22:50

Sam Johnstone says he was pleased to keep a clean sheet at St James’ Park, but that luck was not on Palace’s side as they were knocked out of the League Cup on penalties.

“We dug in and we played a good Newcastle team,” he said after the game. “We kept a clean sheet. In the first-half we had better chances, then it went to pens and it wasn’t our night.

“It was great to get a game tonight, and I’m sure the other lads felt the same. We took it seriously and we wanted to progress and do well. We did well and then once it goes to penalties it’s 50-50.

“It’s nice to be on the pitch in a good stadium against a good team. A few saves and a penalty save, and unfortunately it wasn’t our night in the penalty shoot-out.

“As ever, goalies do their homework. We did ours and apart from Chris Wood’s penalty, I went the right way every time. There were some good penalties – Kieran Trippier’s and Joelinton’s – and that’s all we can do.

“It just wasn’t our night on penalties.”

Vieira: Defeat difficult to accept

22:30

The manager has been speaking to the media after the game.

“It’s a tough one,” he said in his post-match press conference. “When you lose a cup game it is not easy and of course it is difficult to accept, but we are out of the cup and we have to head back home.

“When after 90 minutes it is 0-0 and it is a penalty shoot-out, the difference is of course the experience, the calmness of the players. It’s about [Newcastle] making those five changes that can have an impact on the penalties as well.

“The positives is [that] we have a really clear identity about the way we want to play the game, regardless of the players on the field. Today we showed quality at times.

“I’m pleased because there are a couple of players who didn’t play a lot and today I think they played fantastically well. Look at Sam [Johnstone] in goal, [James] Tomkins, look at Luka [Milivojevic] and Will [Hughes] in the midfield.

“I’m really pleased with the effect they had on the game today. Of course it’s a difficult place to come, but managing not to concede a goal and to perform like that, I’m pleased with what we showed today.”

Vieira reserved a special mention for the Palace fans who made the long journey to the north-east, amidst difficult travel conditions.

“It’s fantastic – we are in the middle of the week and they travel far away to support the team,” he said. “This is one of the reasons that we wanted to do so well.

“It is a difficult place for the fans to come and that’s why we spent a bit of time over there to thank them for making the trip to Newcastle.”

Newcastle win on penalties

Newcastle 3-2 Palace (Ebiowei MISS)

Ebiowei up for Palace.

And Pope stops it. Harsh on Ebiowi, but Newcastle are through.

Newcastle 3-2 Palace (Bruno MISS)

Long run up.

AND HE’S PUT IT OVER THE CROSSBAR!

St James’ is stunned.

Newcastle 3-2 Palace (Mateta MISS)

Pope keeps it out, and Bruno can win it for Newcastle.

Newcastle 3-2 Palace (MISS)

JOHNSTONE SAVES!

PALACE ARE BACK IN IT!

Up comes JP Mateta for the Eagles.

Newcastle 3-2 Palace (Ward GOAL)

Joel Ward for Palace – great penalty. Tucks it away with the poise of a centre-forward.

Newcastle 3-1 Palace (Joelinton GOAL)

Joelinton next.

Johnstone gets a hand to it, but can’t keep it out!

Newcastle 2-1 Palace (Hughes GOAL)

YES.

Hughes tucks it away and Palace are on the board.

Newcastle 2-0 Palace (Trippier GOAL)

Trippier next up, and it’s powerfully struck into the corner – nothing Johnstone could do.

Pressure on Will Hughes who comes forward.

Newcastle 1-0 Palace (Milivojevic MISS)

Milivojevic is first up for Palace, met by a cacophony of boos.

It’s saved! Advantage to the hosts.

Newcastle 1-0 Palace (Wood GOAL)

Here we go.

Newcastle are first-up, and it’s Chris Wood. Johnstone bounces on his line.

It’s a good penalty, and they have the lead.

Full-time

90+3 mins

Is there time for one final attack?

Newcastle have a free-kick in the Palace half, and pour the bodies forwards – and Guimaraes fires wide.

And that’s it!

WE ARE HEADED TO PENALTIES.

Yellow card

90+2 mins

It’s cleared and Will Hughes takes a booking to prevent the counter-attack.

90+1 mins

We will have three minutes of stoppage time. Palace have a corner.

Can they...?

89 mins

Remember, we must have a winner tonight. If it stays goalless, we head straight to penalties

Mateta does well to win a free-kick on halfway, and he very slowly picks himself back up. More seconds tick away.

88 mins

I don’t know about you, but I’m just a bit tense.

Forward come the hosts through Trippier once again, and black and white shirts surround the Palace box. It’s cleared and the Eagles win the goal-kick, but the next wave of attack is coming.

Substitution

85 mins

Off comes Jonjo Shelvey, on comes Joe Willock. Newcastle now resembling something like their first-choice XI.

84 mins

Hughes tries his luck from distance but it’s straight at Nick Pope.

Chance

80 mins

Ooph, you expected the net to bulge there.

It’s almost an immediate impact as Almirón is played in behind, but Johnstone gets down well to save.

Newcastle corner is cleared.

Substitutions

78 mins

First changes for Palace as Jairo Riedewald and Malcolm Ebiowei come on for Olise and Ayew.

Newcastle make their fourth substitution as the man of the moment Miguel Almirón enters the fray.

76 mins

Dear me, that’s soft.

An inch-perfect ball is played across to Trippier, and across comes Mitchell to apply the pressure. Trippier falls over in a heap under minimal contact, and wins Newcastle the free-kick in an extremely dangerous area.

It’s a promising ball too, but in the end it’s scrambled away.

74 mins

Free-kick for Palace on the touchline, 30 yards out. Olise stands over it.

It’s a poor delivery and Newcastle can break away…

70 mins

The Newcastle changes have certainly increased the anticipation from the home fans, but Palace aren’t cowed and they come forward through Olise, who lays off for Clyne. His cross is towards Mateta but Pope comes out to claim.

Substitutions

65 mins

Eddie Howe has seen enough. He’s been forced to pull out the big guns.

On come Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimarães and Sven Botman, replacing Javier Manquillo, Dan Burn and Sean Longstaff.

57 mins

Jordan Ayew is having a really good game: confident on the ball and strong in possession.

He brings Palace forwards again and it’s only half-cleared to Will Hughes on the edge of the area. He strikes well but a deflection takes the power off the shot and it’s an easy save for Pope.

Chance

54 mins

Newcastle’s first big chance of the evening.

Saint-Maximin does well to create space and curl a delicious ball into the area where Chris Wood is rising highest, but Guéhi does just enough to put him off and force it behind for a corner.

Johnstone is called into action from the set-piece, but the offside flag is up.

50 mins

Forward come Palace again and its three on three.

Ayew has support from Mateta and Olise but he decides to go alone and fires over the top. Vieira is not amused.

48 mins

Palace break forwards and Jordan Ayew is in full flow. Mateta points to where he wants the ball and Ayew tries to find him, but the defender intercepts well.

47 mins

Early corner for Newcastle after Tomkins back-pass is intercepted, but its wasted.

Kick-off

46 mins

We’re back underway – can Palace find a way through?

20:46

The teams are back out - who can grab the initative in the second-half?

20:35

An often scrappy evening at St James' but Palace have equipped themselves well. They started strongest and had the best chance of the game through Mateta, but Newcastle grew into it as half-time approached.

All to play for after the restart - don't go anywhere.

Half-time

45+1 mins

Into an additional minute of added time.

Patrick Vieira is incandescent that a free-kick isn’t given as Mitchell is felled, and his mood is darkened further as Newcastle win a free-kick of their own seconds later.

The ball is whipped into the box but cleared, and that draws the opening period to a close.

Yellow card

41 mins

Luka Milivojevic is booked for stopping a counter attack.

Scrappy end to an engaging first-half.

Yellow card

39 mins

Jordan Ayew is brought down on halfway and Elliot Anderson is booked.

35 mins

Saint-Maximin is through on goal and rounds Johnstone – St James’ holds its breath, but the offside flag is up before he can roll into an empty net.

No huge complaints from the Newcastle man.

33 mins

An ambitious effort from outside the area almost catches Johnstone out after a quick free-kick, but it sails narrowly wide.

30 mins

That’s woken up the Gallogate End.

Allan Saint-Maximin embarks on one of his trademark mazy runs and wins Newcastle a throw deep in the Palace half. They work it well to Elliot Anderson on the edge of the area, but his shot is tame and straight at Johnstone.

28 mins

The small section of Palace fans in the gods are making themselves heard.

“We’ve got super Pat Vieira” rings around St James’ Park.

Chance!

22 mins

Wow, Mateta is causing Newcastle some real trouble.

He finds space once again to turn and advance into the area, where he unleashes a powerful effort – but it stings the palms of Pope and heads behind. The corner is cleared.

15 mins

Newcastle have grown into the game and are starting to dominate possession, but Sam Johnstone hasn’t had a save to make.

Chance!

10 mins

Here come Palace again, and Mateta races across the halfway line and in on goal. He has support but tries the shot from a right angle and misses the target.

Promising start for the Eagles.

Chance!

8 mins

Palace have the first chance of the game as Mateta gets in behind. He’s forced wide but flashes a cross across the face of goal which is cleared behind for a corner.

Newcastle clear from the set-piece.

7 mins

Cagey opening for both sides as Saint-Maximin makes progress down the left, but is marshalled away from the danger area by Ward.

3 mins

It’s a strong start for Palace as Ayew attacks down the right and wins a corner, but it’s cleared.

Kick-off

1 min

We’re underway - COME ON PALACE!

19:40

Here come the players. Kick-off is just minutes away.

19:30

The lads are out and warming up - not long to go now...

Last time out

19:20

Much was made of Palace’s strong form at Selhurst Park, but Sunday afternoon provided an until-then-elusive result: an away win. The Eagles won at Oxford United in the previous round away, but when facing Premier League opposition luck had been against them.

Then up stepped Michael Olise, whose 94th-minute winner at the London Stadium sent the travelling fans into raptures and secured three points against West Ham United.

For their part, Newcastle United secured a sixth win in seven games with victory over Southampton, with in-form Miguel Almirón and Bruno Guimarães on the scoresheet.

19:10

You’ve seen the teams, now it’s time to get into the detail.

Fancy all the latest form, news and tactical analysis? Have a read of our in-depth match preview by clicking HERE.

The next generation

18:55

Patrick Vieira has named seven Academy prospects on the bench for game:

• Joe Whitworth
• Kofi Balmer
• Kaden Rodney
• Killian Phillips
• David Ozoh
• John-Kymani Gordon
• Adler Nascimento

From lifelong Palace fans to prolific goalscorers, get to know the next generation by clicking HERE.

Team news

18:45

Patrick Vieira has shuffled his pack with six changes, while seven Academy prospects make the substitutes bench.

Sam Johnstone starts in goal behind a five-man defensive unit, with James Tomkins replacing Joachim Andersen alongside Joel Ward and Marc Guéhi, flanked by Tyrick Mitchell and Nathaniel Clyne.

Will Hughes and Luka Milivojevic replace Cheick Doucouré and Jeff Schlupp in midfield, while Jean-Philippe Mateta comes in for Wilfried Zaha up-front. Jordan Ayew and Sunday’s hero Michael Olise start out wide.

Palace: Johnstone (GK), Clyne, Ward, Tomkins, Guéhi, Mitchell, Hughes, Milivojevic, Ayew, Olise, Mateta.

Subs: Whitworth (GK), Rodney, Balmer, Ozoh, Riedewald, Phillips, Gordon, Ebiowei, Nascimento.

Newcastle: Pope (GK), Manquillo, Lascelles, Burn, Targett, Shelvey, Longstaff, Joelinton, Anderson, Saint-Maximin, Wood.

Subs: Karius (GK), Trippier, Botman, Schär, Lewis, Murphy, Almirón, Willock, Bruno Guimarães.

18:40

Team news is just five minutes away…

18:30

The stage is set...

Vieira: We must punish teams

18:20

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Patrick Vieira reiterated that his side must begin to capitalise when they have momentum during games.

“Of course, I'm really pleased with the performance we had against West Ham,” he said. “We played some really good football at times and it was a well deserved win I, would say.

“The performance always gives you more chance of winning football matches. At the same time, there are still parts of the game we need to improve.

“Look at the first 25 minutes before we conceded: we created chances, we had ball, we had possession, but didn’t score and when you are in a really good period of the game you have to take chances and that is something we have to improve.

“It’s something [that comes] with experience. Individually and collectively about how to manage those parts of the games.”

For Vieira’s full pre-match thoughts on Michael Olise, away performances and today’s opposition Newcastle United, watch the video or click HERE.

Here we go again…

18:10

Wednesday will mark Palace’s third visit to St James’ Park this calendar year, and it has proved a tough place to go for Patrick Vieira’s side.

The Eagles secured a creditable draw in September as stellar goalkeeping display from Vicente Guaita resulted in a clean sheet and an important point on the road.

There has to be a winner tonight, however, and we will be heading for penalties should the score remain level after 90 minutes.

Welcome to Newcastle

18:00

It seems like yesterday we were in the north-east, doesn't it?

Palace are back at St James' Park tonight searching for a place in the fourth round of the League Cup - but they face one of the country's in-form sides in Newcastle United, and in front of a raucous home crowd.

Stick with us for all the latest build-up, match action and reaction.