THERE might not be any authentic Geordies in the Newcastle team once the Saudi money starts truly gushing into Tyneside.
So this was a night to cherish for the Toon Army, and for local hero Sean Longstaff, as his early double in front of the Gallowgate End propelled the club to its first Wembley final in 24 years.
The big midfielder, Newcastle born and bred, was serenaded with cries of “he’s one of our own” from a home crowd who thought they might be able to enjoy a significant win without much anxiety or tension.
A late red card for Bruno Guimaraes, for an X-rated studs-up tackle on Sam Edozie, meant that it wasn’t as straightforward as all that.
The Brazilian playmaker will be banned for three matches but returns in time for the Carabao Cup Final on February 26.
It caused some late nerves but ultimately it could not detract from Longstaff’s big night.
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Another North-Easterner, Dan Burn, had scored in the quarter-final victory over Leicester here, so these two can boast that they had played starring roles in the Cup run which has truly kick-started the Geordie Arabia revolution.
Now, in the Carabao Cup Final, they will face Manchester United – barring a miracle from Nottingham Forest in the second leg at Old Trafford – seeking a first major trophy in 54 years and a first Wembley final success in 68 years.
This was Eddie Howe’s 600th game as a manager – and surely no boss in history has reached such a landmark looking so young.
And this was a fine occasion for the Newcastle chief to toast his landmark as struggling Southampton were downed by Longstaff’s twin strikes.
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For a generation, this vast old place had been in a stupor, with little but howls of derision at their hated owner Mike Ashley or, worse still, the low hum of hopeless indifference.
But for the last year or so, St James’ Park has been reconnected to the mains, electricity surging through it, the volume cranked up to eleven.
The only thing they like to keep quiet about is where the money has come from.
Not that the new owners have spent a shedload just yet – just a fraction of Chelsea owner Todd Boehly’s half-billion-pound pebbledashing of the transfer market.
And that is why their rivals are so fearful.
They know this Newcastle team will soon be adorned with genuine world-class talent and that they are difficult enough to beat already.
For now, there are still a large number of players – Longstaff included – who were here before the big money arrived.
There were more flags on display here than at your average May Day rally in Tiananmen Square.
There were black-and-white scarves propelled around heads by the tens of thousands and euphoric roars when Longstaff found the net.
Before kick-off, they had paraded £45million new boy Anthony Gordon, who had performed a successful jailbreak from Goodison Park, along with Harrison Ashby, a young defender signed from West Ham.
Newcastle had enjoyed a clear week since the first leg of this semi-final and Howe named an unchanged side from that which won through a Joelinton goal at St Mary’s.
And it took just five minutes for Howe’s men to double their lead in the tie, some sorcery from Guimaraes in the middle of the park, then Kieran Trippier rampaging forward and squaring for Longstaff to score with a low drive into the far corner.
If Newcastle’s progress to the final had been in any doubt at the start of the night, this effectively killed the tie.
Longstaff lapped it up, as well he might have, given that he had failed to find the net at St James’ Park in four years, a run of 54 home appearances.
A couple of minutes later, he should have had a second.
This time Guimaraes, slotted a cute pass through the lines but after cutting inside, the big midfielder dragged his shot wide.
The Saints looked miles off the pace as Newcastle attacked with swagger and verve.
And the second goal was a peachy move.
Joe Willock started it near the halfway line, exchanged passes with Joelinton, advanced and fed Miguel Almiron, who cut back for Longstaff to drill home assuredly.
But out of the blue, the Saints pulled one back just before the half-hour, a dozy pass from Willock went straight to Che Adams who netted with an angled drive from the edge of the area.
It ended Nick Pope’s infallible run of ten straight clean sheets.
The last time he’d conceded was a late consolation in a 4-1 league win over Southampton almost three months ago.
After the break, Romeo Lavia sent Adam Amstrong clean through only for Pope to advance and save smartly.
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Guimaraes had just curled a long-ranger against the post when he committed his horror challenge on Edozie – VAR sent Paul Tierney to his monitor and he awarded a red card to go with a free-kick in prime James Ward-Prowse territory.
But the Saints skipper’s dead-ball effort caught Isak square in the face – a painful blow but a worthwhile one in the circumstances.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
