Dominant Toon start Carabao Cup defence in style - Newcastle 4-1 Bradford

A commanding win for Newcastle United as we started our defence of the Carabao Cup with a 4-1 victory over Bradford City at St James' Park.

Granted, it was against League One opposition (currently top of their league), but we did not look like a side struggling for goals as we carved through the Bantams midfield and defence at will.

Joelinton and Osula both scored twice, Bruno ran the show with two lovely assists, Miley set the tempo (despite one or two poor giveaways) and Gordon looked sharp, with Botman and Thiaw dominant at the back and Woltemade's link-up play a joy to watch late on.

A professional performance from minute one an utterly dominant display, with the only real criticism our failure to score more given the chances we created, along with some more ineffective set pieces that clearly need more work.

Eddie Howe made seven changes from Sunday, seeing Ramsdale, Krafth, Bruno, Joelinton, Elanga, Osula and Gordon replace Pope, Livramento, Burn, Tonali, Willock, Murphy and Woltemade.

It wasn't the most fluent of starts in a fairly open game, but the floodgates quickly opened as Newcastle struck two in two minutes. First, Joelinton fired home with a neat finish after he latched onto Gordon's blocked shot on 17 minutes, then it was quickly 2-0 Newcastle as Osula finished calmly after latching onto Bruno's perfectly weighted pass in behind.

We looked too quick for Bradford and were breaking beyond their midfield at will, with Miley setting the tempo, Bruno pulling the strings, Joelinton bombing on to support a front three brimming with pace and movement in Gordon, Osula and Elanga.

Osula was looking lively and almost had a few more, first after some good work from Elanga saw his shot blocked and again as his shot from the angle was parried again by the Bradford goalkeeper, who had also been kept busy by tipping a well struck Gordon shot wide.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVV1YKyePgY

Newcastle didn't manage a single shot in the second half at Bournemouth on Sunday, but we'd mustered 12 here in the first 45 minutes, along with 75% possession.

We were moving the ball with purpose, breaking with speed and working hard to win the ball back. Aside from a few sloppy passes and some frankly awful set pieces once (again), Howe would've been very happy with what he saw in the first half.

Joelinton headed wide in the first big chance of the second half, Gordon had another effort saved and Bruno clipped the woodwork after arriving on the box from Hall's cut-back.

Elanga offered plenty of pace and energy, but he looked like a man who needed a goal following his £55m move from Nottingham Forest, summed up by a loose touch and scruffy finish after Gordon did well again to cut inside and create a chance.

He wasn't giving up, however, and combined well as some lovely combination play between Bruno, Gordon, Elanga and Miley ended up with Joeelinton heading wide on the hour mark before Howe made two changes, seeing Livramento and Trippier replace Hall and Krafth.

We'd missed a few chances to make it three and the biggest came on 65 minutes. Again, Gordon was the provider, but this time Osula could not find the finish, miscuing a header from six yards out after a lovely cross from the left put it on a plate for the big Dane to make it 3-0.

Gordon had been lively all game, picking up pockets of space constantly and driving at their defence, but he will be dissapointed not to have scored, dragging a decent chance wide after Elanga's dummy.

Two more changes followed with 20 minutes to play, as Gordon and Elanga were replaced by Woltemade and Barnes, with the big German's first involvement seeing him head clear a Bradford set piece. And soon we FINALLY made it three.

Guimaraes had been the orchestrator all night and set up fellow Brazilian Joelinton, making it two assists for Bruno G and two goals for big Joe. A slick ball across the box was finished calmly once again by Joelinton, who took a touch and fired home to make it 3-0 with 15 minutes remaining.

More slick football could and should have made it 4-0, as Osula and Woltemade combined before Joelinton's flick found Bruno, only for the captain to poke his close range shot straight at the Bradford goalkeeper.

At the other end, we lost our clean sheet as substitute and boyhood Newcastle fan Andy Cook lashed in from the edge of the box after Miley's poor clearance was intercepted. A magical moment for the 34-year-old that sent the away fans wild to make it 3-1.

Two chances then came Barnes' way within a minute. One set up by Livramento that was stabbed wide on the stretch, and the second set up by Woltemade as the former Leicester winger saw a trademark effort flash just past the post.

Barnes didn't score but he played a key role in our fourth soon after, sliding an inviting ball across the box for Osula to tap in, seeing the Dane join Joelinton in netting twice to make it 4-1 and make certain of our progress into the last 16.

The final change from Howe saw Alex Murphy come on for a late cameo, replacing the rock solid Botman for the final five minutes as we coasted towards a comfortable win that could've been six or seven had our finishing been better.

Woltemade was a joy to watch in the latter stages, linking up superbly with his back to goal and creating a few openings with some smart passing. Once Yoane Wissa is fit and ready, the two could form a really exciting partnership.

Onto the next round and Arsenal on Sunday, where we'll be looking to take this goalscoring form into the Premier League.

Newcastle XI: Ramsdale - Krafth, Thiaw, Botman, Hall - Miley, Bruno, Joelinton - Elanga, Osula, Gordon.

Subs: Pope, Trippier, Lascelles, Tonali, Barnes, Livramento, Woltemade, Willock, A.Murphy.

Howay the lads!