Newcastle United are preparing to take on Bradford City in the Carabao Cup third round on Wednesday, officially kicking off their first trophy defence in 56 years.
The heroics at Wembley Stadium in March were special, but fans will now be hoping that Eddie Howe and his players do not make it a one-time thing.
Carabao Cup football is returning to Tyneside, and the Magpies have a job on their hands in getting past Bradford City. They are off to a flying start in League One so far this season, with the Bantams having lost just one of their opening nine league games to put them top of the table.
Newcastle United will likely make several changes for the game, with players like William Osula and Aaron Ramsdale likely to feature. Elsewhere, the likes of Jamaal Lascelles and Emil Krafth have a point to prove against Bradford.
Howe could choose to play some academy stars in the game, and after a decision with the U21s on Monday night, it looks likely that one bright young star will feature.
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Seung-soo Park left out of Newcastle United U21s defeat
Seung-soo Park has managed to pull up trees since arriving at Newcastle during the summer transfer window. The 18-year-old joined from Suwon Bluewings just days before the Magpies’ pre-season tour of Asia.
Surprisingly, the winger joined the squad in the Far East, making his debut against Team K-League, where he excited fans with his footwork. Seung-soo was even named on the bench for Newcastle’s draw with Aston Villa on the Premier League’s opening weekend, suggesting that Howe is a big fan of the youngster.
Newcastle’s U21s hosted Norwich at Whitley Park on Monday night, with the likes of Sean Neave and Harrison Ashby getting starts. However, Seung-soo was nowhere to be seen for the game.
His omission from the squad suggests he will play some part in the Bradford game on Wednesday night, whether it is just an appearance on the bench to get more first-team exposure or if he will actually step onto the pitch remains to be seen.
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Seung-soo Park has already impressed during Newcastle United’s first-team training
Seung-soo will no doubt be raring to go if allowed to impress in the Carabao Cup. Meanwhile, the 18-year-old has already made an appearance at St James’ Park.
Howe started Seung-soo in Newcastle’s friendly draw against Espanyol in August, where he impressed in front of a lively St James’ Park crowd. The fact that he has already played at the ground should mean that stage fright should not be too much of an issue for the youngster.
The South Korea wonderkid has already made strides in Newcastle’s first-team training as well. It was said that Seung-soo put Fabian Schar ‘up in the air‘ during a training session, a sign that the winger has a bit about him.
Newcastle are in a position where they need some young players to come through the academy, especially with the busy fixture list. If Seung-soo can prove his worth, then Howe could be on to a winner on Tyneside.
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