Newcastle United handed additional 2024-25 fixture after European rule change

Newcastle’s failure to qualify for European football despite finishing seventh in the Premier League will see them enter the Carabao Cup at the second round stage as opposed to the third round. Last season, Newcastle competed in the Champions League and were one of eight Premier League sides who received a bye to the third round.

The Magpies played Manchester City - who had also received a bye - and won 1-0 in the third-round clash last September. They went on to beat Manchester United 3-0 before losing on penalties to Chelsea in the quarter-final.

However, the last time Newcastle entered the Carabao Cup at the second round stage they made it all the way to the final. Eddie Howe’s side beat Tranmere Rovers, Crystal Palace, AFC Bournemouth, Leicester City and Southampton before finally losing 2-0 to Manchester United in the final at Wembley.

The Carabao Cup second round will take place the week commencing Monday, August 26. Like the first round of the competition, the Carabao Cup second round is regionalised to ‘north’ and ‘south’ teams.

But proposed changes to the Carabao Cup third-round draw could actually harm Newcastle’s chances this coming season should they progress from the second round. Carabao Cup reforms are set to introduce a ‘seeding mechanism’ which prevents clubs competing in Europe from drawing one another.

That rule would have prevented Newcastle from drawing Man City if introduced last season. But this season it could impact Newcastle and other non-European clubs as it increases their chances of being drawn against Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Manchester United.