Team news and stats ahead of Brentford's Carabao Cup quarter-final against Newcastle on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports; Kick Off 5.30pm.
Team news
Brentford can welcome back Ethan Pinnock and Christian Norgaard for their first League Cup quarter-final.
Pinnock has completed a one-match ban and Norgaard has recovered from an ankle injury.
Captain Pontus Jansson has not quite shaken off an ankle knock so he will miss out again, while Mads Roerslev and Shandon Baptiste are still sidelined for the Championship high-flyers.
In-form striker Ivan Toney, who signed for Newcastle in 2015 but made only four senior appearances, will spearhead the Bees' hopes, with Magpies boss Bruce admitting: "He will want to do his utmost to make sure he proves people wrong for letting him go."
Newcastle are likely to be without Federico Fernandez for the tie at the Brentford Community Stadium.
The defender, who tested positive for coronavirus amid an outbreak at the club, had to be replaced at half-time during Saturday's Premier League draw with Fulham because of fatigue and midfielder Isaac Hayden, who deputised amid depleted resources at the back, could stand in once again.
Covid-19 continues to restrict Bruce's options with Jamaal Lascelles and Allan Saint-Maximin suffering longer-term effects from the virus.
Goalkeeper Martin Dubravka is working his way back to full fitness after an ankle injury, but is not yet ready to resume.
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How to follow
Brentford vs Newcastle will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Football and Main Event from 5pm on Tuesday; kick-off at 5.30pm. Sky Sports customers can watch in-game clips in the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app. Free highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.
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How they got here...
Pitch to Post Review: What if Man Utd actually clicked? Plus: Arteta's stats debunked
Manchester United are in contention having barely performed this season - how good could they be if they actually clicked?
In the last Pitch to Post Review of 2020, Jasper Taylor is joined by Gerard Brand and Ben Ransom to discuss Manchester United's chaotic 6-2 win over Leeds, and whether in fact Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are title contenders (04:12). As for Leeds, we analyse Marcelo Bielsa's unapologetic style, and whether it can last (13:00).
The shambles at Arsenal continues as they are beaten at Everton, and after Mikel Arteta channels his inner Rafa Benitez with a list of statistics, the panel provide some other damning metrics (16:47).
In the Regional Review, Adam Bate discusses West Brom, Aston Villa and Wolves (32:59), and in part four we look at Tottenham's defeat by Leicester as Jose Mourinho was played at his own game to cap off a bad week (42:36).
DOWNLOAD THE PITCH TO POST PODCAST ON APPLE - or listen on Spotify below...
Opta stats
- The last meeting between Brentford and Newcastle was in the 2016/17 season in the Championship, with the Magpies winning both games that season.
- The only previous League Cup encounter between Brentford and Newcastle was in September 2001 at St James' Park, with Newcastle winning 4-1 in extra-time and Craig Bellamy scoring a hat-trick during the extra-time period.
- This is Brentford's first ever League Cup quarter-final in their 153rd match in the competition, which is the most matches played before playing in their first ever quarter-final match in the competition's history. The previous most was Bournemouth, whose first quarter-final was in their 147th game in the competition.
- Newcastle United have been eliminated in seven of their eight League Cup quarter-finals, progressing just once back in the 1975/76 season versus Notts County. Among the 30 teams to have competed in more than five League Cup quarter-finals, Newcastle have been eliminated in the highest percentage of those (7/8, 87.5%).
- Brentford striker Marcus Forss has scored four goals in six starts in the League Cup, scoring with 44% of his shots in the competition so far (4/9).
- Newcastle United could become the first top-flight club to eliminate non-top-flight opposition in the second, third & fourth rounds and the quarter-final of the League Cup since Norwich City in 1984/85, who went on to win the competition with current Magpies boss Steve Bruce playing in every League Cup match for the Canaries that season.
Carabao Cup key dates
In this season's competition, two-legged semi-finals will be replaced by a single tie.
December 22/23: Quarter-finals
January 5/6 2021: Semi-finals
April 25 2021: Final