When Newcastle United hosts League Two team AFC Wimbledon at St James' Park on Tuesday night, they will be vying for a berth in the EFL Cup's fourth round.
AFC Wimbledon's most recent game in England's fourth division ended in a 0-0 draw with Bradford City, while the Magpies come into the game fresh off a 1-1 draw with Manchester City in the Premier League.
Newcastle has never won the League Cup, but they have made it to the championship game twice before, most recently in 2022–2023, when they were defeated 2-0 by Manchester United.
Although they needed a penalty shootout to defeat Nottingham Forest in the tournament's last round, this seems like the ideal matchup for the team to win trophies this year.
Eddie Howe's team comes into this game following a 1-1 Premier League draw with Manchester City, where a penalty in the second half secured a share of the victory for Anthony Gordon's team.
Newcastle, who have 11 points from their first six games and are currently ranked seventh in the rankings, will play their league opener against Everton the following weekend before the October international break.
This season, the Magpies have only lost once in all competitions, and that loss came on September 21 in the Premier League against Fulham, 3-1.
In the meanwhile, AFC Wimbledon had to win two games to get to this stage of the EFL Cup. They defeated Ipswich Town on penalties in the second round after defeating Bromley 2-1 in the first.
As a result, the League Two team has already eliminated a Premier League team from the league this season. They will enter this match on a six-game winning streak, comprising five victories.
With two games remaining, they trail leaders Gillingham by six points in sixth place in the 2024–25 League Two standings, having had a great start to the season.
Naturally, Johnnie Jackson's team will prioritize the league this season, but it would still be a significant accomplishment if they could defeat Newcastle on Tuesday night and move on to the League Cup's fourth round.
