The semi-final stage of the League Cup is here, and two of the teams that almost no one expected to see playing in this stage of the competition will begin their quest to reach the final.

Southampton make it to this game after pulling out the most surprising result of this competition, as they defeated Manchester City 2-0 on January 11. The Saints had reached the quarterfinals by beating Lincoln City, Sheffield Wednesday, and Cambridge United in the previous rounds, which made their win over the Sky Blues even more relevant.

The away team this Tuesday will be Newcastle, a team that made it to this stage with a 2-0 victory over Leicester City. Their previous matches in this tournament saw Eddie Howe's team beating Bournemouth (1-0), Crystal Palace after a penalty shootout, and Tranmere Rovers, in what was the only away game they have played until this clash.

This tie will give these teams a chance to reach the final after a long drought. Southampton have made it to the title clash in 1979 and in 2017, but they lost both of those against Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, with both of those finals ending 3-2 against the Saints. Meanwhile, Newcastle will be looking to return to the final tie for the first time since 1976, when they gave away the title against Manchester City.

Here are some interesting facts to keep an eye on before this match kicks off.

Southampton vs Newcastle - Team news

The Saints enter this game with their hopes set on a shocking result against one of the most consistent teams in the Premier League. Southampton managed to beat Manchester City in their recent cup clash, but they were not able to carry that form to the Premier League, where they were beaten in their most recent outing. Coach Nathan Jones will have to make adjustments to his lineup, while also relying on players such as Che Adams, Lyanco, or James Ward-Prowse.

On the other side of the pitch, Newcastle might be inclined to show their firepower with most of the team's starters in the Premier League. Their lineup should include players such as Alexander Isak or Miguel Almirón, who have been key for the team's performances this season. Other additions to the team's XI could see Jamaal Lascelles or Bruno Guimaraes leading the team's efforts in defense and in midfield, respectively.

Here are the names of unavailable players for each team

Southampton - Injured: Tino Livramento, Juan Larios. Doubtful: Armel Bella-Kotchap, Theo Walcott, Alex McCarthy. 

Newcastle - Injured: Matt Targett, Jonjo Shelvey, Matty Longstaff, Emil Krafth.

Southampton vs Newcastle - Head-to-head

• The most recent game between these teams ended in a 4-1 win for Newcastle.

• Newcastle have won three of their four most recent games against Southampton across all comps.

• Southampton's last win against Newcastle took place on November 2020. That clash ended in a 2-0 win for the Saints.

• This will be the first Cup clash betweeen these teams since their FA Cup tie in February 2006. The game ended one-nil for Newcastle United.

• Newcastle have defeated Southampton in their two most recent cup meetings.

• Southampton have only beaten Newcastle in one of their last six games when playing as hosts.

• Southampton's boss Nathan Jones lost his only prior match against Newcastle.

• Newcastle's coach Eddie Howe will face the Saints for the 17th time in his career. His record shows four wins, five draws, and seven losses.

Broadcast info: Southampton vs Newcastle

Match details, result and original broadcast info

Southampton 0 - 1 Newcastle United

January 24, 2023 3:00pmSt. Mary's Stadium (Southampton, Hampshire)

This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.

• Original Broadcast

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