Newcastle United v Leicester City is the only all-Premier League tie of the second round of the Carabao Cup, and it will be interesting to see Brendan Rodgers and Steve Bruce face off tonight. Bet on football here.
Steve Bruce v Brendan Rodgers
This is an opportunity for two new managers to face off and we can definitely expect to see two contrasting styles on display. Steve Bruce made a big statement with his first win as Newcastle boss when they beat Tottenham by a 1-0 over the weekend. He was able to manage the win courtesy of a strong defensive organization that restricted Spurs to just holding on to the ball with no end product. Leicester are a more pragmatic side and it will be interesting to see if they can replicate the kind of defensive discipline that got them the win during the weekend.
Brendan Rodgers has distinguished his side as an attacking team with variety going forward. They have pace and skill in addition to being able to play the ball around or go direct to Jamie Vardy. The Foxes have had an interesting start to the season and we can definitely expect them to continue on the same trajectory.
Jetro Willems v Ayoze Perez
Jetro Willems joined Newcastle in the summer and he could earn his first game at left wingback for the Toon. He is highly rated by the manager and what better way to introduce him to the home crowd. If he gets the nod to start then his immediate duty would be to try and stop former player Ayoze Perez from scoring. This is also a good opportunity for him to get in the good side of the Toon Army with a worthy performance.
Ayoze, on the other hand, will be under pressure to deliver for his new side in front of his former supporters. The Spaniard has played every minute of Leicester’s season so far and he looks set to feature on the right in tonight’s game. His quality is not in question and if he were to start you can surely expect him to cause trouble down the right-wing.
Unwanted distraction v genuine ambition
Newcastle have tended to treat this tournament as more of a distraction than a benefit and we expect the same attitude from the Magpies. An early exit from the cups has been part of their recent culture as they choose to turn their focus to their league campaign. Whereas each season is a new one with new expectations, there has been no major change in the league to inform such a shift.
Leicester, for their part, are an ambitious side seeking to break into the elite class and they will want to make a good impression here. They have gone through in ten of their last 12 away trips in this competition, despite their high scoring nature in the cup. The Foxes will be chasing a place in the next round as Brendan Rodgers looks to add to his medals won in Glasgow.