Newcastle United 2-0 Tottenham: Schar and Woltemade send EFL Cup holders through

Fabian Schar and Nick Woltemade were on target as holders Newcastle United defeated Tottenham 2-0 at St James' Park to book their spot in the EFL Cup quarter-finals.

Some lax Tottenham defending allowed Schar to nod in an easy opener in Wednesday's round-four contest.

The in-form Woltemade then ensured the Magpies would be in the draw for the last eight early in the second half after heading in from Joe Willock's centre.

Harvey Barnes fired wastefully into the side-netting after being fed by Woltemade as Newcastle started brightly.

And the hosts had their reward for that lively start when Schar easily got above Lucas Bergvall to head in Sandro Tonali's corner in the 24th minute.

Bergvall laid on a wonderful, low cross that Richarlison should have made contact with, though Spurs were fortunate not to be 2-0 down when Barnes tried the acrobatics only to smash over the top following good work from Tonali and Malick Thiaw.

Willock woefully headed wide from Barnes' pinpoint cross early in the second half as Spurs were let off the hook.

But it was Willock's dinked cross from which Woltemade towered to head past on-rushing Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky.

Data Debrief: Magpies fly to sink Spurs again

Newcastle are fast developing a love affair with the EFL Cup and the holders have won eight straight games in the competition – with Liverpool the last side to win as many as eight in a row in 1995 (11).

The Magpies have avoided defeat in 18 straight matches when scoring first in the EFL Cup, last doing so in a 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest on August 23, 2017.

Moreover, Eddie Howe's men have now won six of their past seven fixtures against Tottenham in all competitions (L1), having won only four of their 16 prior meetings (D2, L10).

Schar got Newcastle up and running the first half and he has now contributed to goals in three straight home games in the EFL Cup (two goals, one assist).