First task for Southampton this evening. To silence this lot.

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Southampton

Southampton manager Nathan Jones on Sky Sports: "We've got to believe, we have got to put in a proper performance and be at our very best.

"You'd say they are in the driving seat but anything can happen in a one-off game.

"It's one of the cathedrals of English football and we'll go out there and enjoy ourselves."

On making four changes: "We've had three games in a week and needed to treat all of them with respect.

"I've had to make sure we've got plenty of energy and this team is the strongest I could put out."

On James Bree making his debut: "I hope he plays the same way he has for me in the past.

"I believe he's a great athlete is a good size and he's playing alongside an experienced defender in Jan Bednarek."

On handing Che Adams a starting role: "We've got to be good structurally and create chances, if we do create then I believe we score.

"Che has been magnificent he just needs to be clinical and if he does that then he is a top striker but it's about everyone chipping in."

Some major tunes getting a run out at St James' Park this evening!

Kevin Nolan
Former Newcastle midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

It is always the next game that counts and the next one is getting to the final of the EFL Cup. I'm telling you now that Eddie Howe would not have been able to walk into a shop this week without someone mentioning it to him.

I've been there. I went to the post office to send a parcel and I walked in an old lady in her 80s said to me 'you make sure you beat Sunderland at the weekend'.

She opened up her top and she had a Newcastle top on. It is about emotional control tonight. The fans will be fired up but you don't want the players to get too carried away with the occasion.

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A gap of 47 years between EFL Cup finals - with Newcastle last reaching final in 1976 - would be the longest in the history of the competition should Eddie Howe's side book their place at Wembley this evening.

A run of eight consecutive clean sheets at home makes them firm favourites to do just that but it's cup football and Southampton will be aiming to become just the third team ever to reach the League Cup final having lost the first leg at home.

Stoke City (winners in 1972) and Arsenal (winners in 1987) were the other two.

Southampton

Southampton may be bottom of the Premier League and trailing in this tie but their manager Nathan Jones doesn't sound like he thinks getting to Wembley is beyond his team.

"With the greatest respect, it (1-0) is an advantage but it can be a tricky advantage," he said.

"We have to do things right and make sure we start positively, and be our best.

We'll be aggressive, we want to go after the tie and we'd really like to get the first goal. "If we can get the first goal then a lot of things can change, and a lot of things will change."

Pat Nevin
Former Scotland winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

There is no pressure on Southampton tonight, no one expects anything from them. They are a goal down and can go out there and enjoy themselves.

It's almost a shot to nothing but I don't think Newcastle would swap positions with them.

Newcastle United

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Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has told his team to treat their "season-defining" Carabao Cup semi-final second leg with Southampton as a league game.

The Magpies, who won the away leg 1-0, just need to avoid defeat to reach a first League Cup final in 47 years.

"You have to look at it as an independent game," said Howe. "If you focus on that too much on the 1-0 lead, then you're in trouble.

"You go into protection mode and we don't want that."

The Magpies, who are third in the Premier League table, have only lost twice this season in all competitions.

Their last trophy was the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in the 1968-69 campaign.

Kevin Nolan
Former Newcastle midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

The players have embraced what Eddie Howe has tried to do and how he wants them to play. He has got a group of boys playing for the club and it looks as though they all care and want to do their best. The Newcastle fans are loving every minute of it.

I am nervous for Newcastle tonight because of the expectations. It will be a tricky one for them tonight.

Any idea who Alan Shearer might be backing tonight?

He of course started his career at Southampton but looks like he firmly behind his hometown club and the one he played over 400 games for.

Pat Nevin
Former Scotland winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

If Newcastle were to score early this place would go wild and stay wild. Southampton need to stay as tight as they can and get that first goal. If they do it'll be in the melting point.

Whatever happens these fans here know that history is sitting and staring them in the face. They want to win this EFL Cup and for it to be the first of many trophies in the years to come.

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Anthony Gordon hasn't been the only recent arrival at Newcastle of course.

The Magpies have signed defender Harrison Ashby from fellow Premier League side West Ham in a deal worth up to £3m.

His contract was due to expire in the summer and he had told West Ham he was not willing to sign an extension.

"Harrison is a very talented young player with a lot of potential so we are delighted to sign him and are looking forward to working with him in this exciting new chapter of his career," said manager Eddie Howe.

Midfielder Jonjo Shelvey, meanwhile, is expected to leave the Magpies to join Nottingham Forest.

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Now this may well be the only show in town as far as live action goes but it's a pretty manic day in English football given it's deadline day and Premier League and EFL clubs have until 23:00 GMT to get their transfer business sorted.

You can see how it all unfolds on our dedicated live page which offers the latest news, views and analysis throughout the final day of the January transfer window.

Happy with those line-ups Newcastle and Southampton fans?

Newcastle haven't played since beating Southampton 1-0 at St Mary's a week ago and Eddie Howe has stuck with the same starting XI.

Newcastle XI: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Longstaff, Guimaraes, Willock, Almiron, Wilson, Joelinton.

Subs: Darlow, Dummett, Lascelles, Saint-Maximin, Ritchie, Lewis, Isak, Murphy, Anderson.

Southampton defender James Bree makes his debut after signing from Luton, while Jan Bednarek also comes in as Nathan Jones makes four changes.

Former Newcastle frontman Adam Armstrong and Che Adams start in attack for the visitors.

Duje Caleta-Car, Mislav Orsic and Sekou Mara drop to the bench with Moussa Djenepo missing out through injury.

Southampton XI: Bazunu, Bree, Lyanco, Salisu, Bednarek, Walker-Peters, Diallo, Alcaraz, Ward-Prowse, Armstrong, Adams.

Subs: Caballero, Perraud, Caleta-Car, Lavia, Elyounoussi, Orsic, Aribo, Edozie, Mara.

Right as promised...

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New signing Anthony Gordon will be in the stands as Newcastle attempt to reach a first League Cup final for 47 years.

The 21-year-old forward completed his transfer from Everton, which could eventually cost Newcastle £45 million, on Sunday.

This could be quite a first taste of St James' Park for him to savour as a Magpies player although I imagine he wishes he wasn't cup tied.

BBC Radio 5 Live

You can listen to all the build up to this match over on BBC Radio 5 Live now. Once that's done you'll get full match commentary and no doubt plenty of transfer updates along the way.

I'll have full team news with you very shortly. Both sides as you'd expect look pretty much at full strength.

Newcastle United

The last time Newcastle won domestic silverware was in the 1954-55 season when they lifted the FA Cup.

And their most recent finals were in the same competition in 1998 and 1999, where they lost out to a double-winning Arsenal side and Manchester United's treble-winning side.