Newcastle vs Chelsea LIVE: Carabao Cup team news and line-ups as Anthony Gordon starts fourth round tie

Newcastle United and Chelsea renew hostilities in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, just a few days after meeting in the Premier League. The fourth round tie takes place at St. James’ Park, whereas in the top flight it was the Blues who emerged as 2-1 winners on home soil, Cole Palmer yet again among the goals for his side.

Eddie Howe’s Magpies have been suffering again with injuries and inconsistency to key players, leaving them 12th in the league table with three wins, three draws and three defeats so far - while Chelsea, under Enzo Maresca, are fifth after five wins in nine.

Eddie Howe hoping to put ‘difficult phase’ behind Newcastle

Eddie Howe admitted his Newcastle side are in a “difficult phase” after the weekend league defeat to Chelsea, but insists morale remains strong within his squad.

Howe’s side have slipped into the bottom half and are without a win in five league games.

The Newcastle manager told Sky Sports after the 2-1 loss: “I thought it was a really high level game. I thought it was two really good teams. I thought it was a brave performance by us but the game was decided by a couple of moments.

“We were disappointed with the second goal. We gave the ball away, it cost us with the goal. It is an uncharacteristic goal for us to concede. I am proud of what the players gave today, if we continue to play as we are then the results will come.

“The attitude of the players is very good. We dug deep. We scored a really good goal and proved that we are that attacking force we can be. Sometimes you go through phases like this, we are going through a difficult phase in terms of results.”

Enzo Maresca relishing potential reunion with Ruud van Nistelrooy this weekend

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca said the sacking of Erik ten Hag has forced him to re-think preparations for Sunday’s trip to Manchester United.

The game at Old Trafford will be United’s first in the Premier League since a poor start to the season prompted them to dismiss their manager of nearly two and a half years, with assistant Ruud van Nistelrooy placed in interim charge.

Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim has been heavily linked with the role, but should an appointment not have been made by the weekend it will mean a reunion in the dugout for Maresca and former United striker Van Nistelrooy, who played together for a year at Malaga between 2011 and 2012.

It has also meant extra homework for the Blues boss, who has had to dig out videos of the stand-in manager’s former club PSV Eindhoven.

“I guess it will be Ruud (in charge),” said Maresca. “He’s a friend of mine, we played together, we spent a year together at Malaga and we still have a relationship.

“We started to watch some PSV games. We’d already watched many Man United games. I’m sad for Erik and in the same time happy for Ruud. Hopefully I can see him Sunday.”