How Newcastle could line up in EFL Cup clash vs Fulham (4-3-3) | OneFootball

St James’ Park will stage an exciting EFL Cup quarter-final on Wednesday night as Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Fulham go head-to-head with a place in the semi-finals on the line.

Newcastle head into the contest under a cloud after a narrow 1–0 Premier League defeat to fierce rivals Sunderland in the Tyne-Wear derby.

That result leaves Eddie Howe’s Magpies sitting 12th in the Premier League table, four points adrift of fifth-placed Crystal Palace, and six off the Champions League places.

Consistency has been hard to find for Newcastle in the opening months of the 2025/26 campaign, making this cup clash an important opportunity for a response.

The EFL Cup has been a welcome distraction for the Magpies.

Newcastle ended their 70-year wait for a domestic trophy with an EFL Cup final win against Liverpool last season, and the reigning champions have shown their quality in the competition.

A commanding 4-1 win over Bradford City was followed by a comprehensive 2-0 success against Tottenham Hotspur, underlining their intent to defend the title.

However, they’d be silly to underestimate the size of their upcoming task.

Newcastle and Fulham have met only three times in the League Cup, with the most recent encounters dating back to 1981, when the London club came out on top.

How Newcastle could line up

Howe will likely make up to five changes for tonight’s EFL Cup showdown against Fulham.

Nick Pope’s lengthy spell in the infirmary allows Aaron Ramsdale to retain his place between the sticks, but there could be a change to the backline.

Fabian Schar could step in for Dan Burn, who picked up an injury in the first half of the Sunderland defeat.

He’ll be joined in the back four by Tino Livramento, Malick Thiaw, and Lewis Hall.

Joelinton should return to the XI in place of Sandro Tonali, lining up alongside captain Bruno Guimaraes and academy talent Lewis Miley.

Howe could also name a brand new attack with Yoane Wissa finally making his full debut since his £55 million move from Brentford last summer.

He’ll likely be joined by Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes on the flanks.