Newcastle to face Bournemouth in Carabao Cup’s 4th Round on Dec. 21

After the Carabao Cup’s 4th Round draw took place last week and after Newcastle drew Eddie Howe’s former club Bournemouth, the club has now announced the date on which the game will be played and the kick-off time.

Newcastle will host Bournemouth on Wednesday, 21st December at St James’ Park. The kick-off is set for 7:45pm (UK time) with the game taking place just three days after the final of the Qatar World Cup is played in Losail.

Three England internationals (Nick Pope, Kieran Trippier, and Callum Wilson) along with one on Switzerland’s squad (Fabian Schar) and one on Brazil’s (Bruno) might make it all the way to the final day of the international competition. That will leave those taking part in that game obviously out of contention for the game against Bournemouth on Dec. 21st.

Newcastle reached the 4th Round of the Carabao Cup last midweek by defeating Crystal Palace on penalties (3-2) after a goalless draw over the 90 minutes of regular play. The Magpies will now face their coach’s former team in Bournemouth after the Cherries trashed Everton 4-1 and then doubled down on that stomping with a 3-0 victory last Saturday in their Premier League meeting.

One of Newcastle’s 3rd Round heroes, goalkeeper Nick Pope, will spend the next few weeks with the English contingent in the World Cup played abroad in Qatar. Even if England doesn’t reach the final game, making it to the semifinals will mean Pope will be active until Dec. 14 when that second-to-last stage of the tournament finishes, giving him just one week of time to come back to England and get ready for the Carabao Cup clash against AFC.

Trippier, Wilson, and most of all Bruno—playing for World Cup favorite Brazil—will be in a similar situation.

Bournemouth won’t have such problems as no player currently on the Cherries squad is expected to advance past the group stage of the World Cup—Chris Mepham and Kieffer Moore were called up by Wales, which are facing England, the USA, and Iran in Group B—let alone the first knockout stage if they’re lucky to make it that far.

Newcastle will face Rayo Vallecano on Dec. 17th before taking on Bournemouth, and the team will then visit Leicester City on Dec. 26th with the Premier League returning to action after Christmas.