MANCHESTER, England: Just how important Nick Pope’s penalty shootout saves prove to be for Newcastle may not be known until February.
But this was a very good night to stay in the English League Cup for a team looking to make a statement with a trophy. Newcastle, flying high in the Premier League, looked in danger of joining a host of big teams to be eliminated from the competition on Wednesday, with Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham all losing in the third round.
West Ham were also beaten by Blackburn on penalties following a 2-2 draw, to add to the number of topflight sides going out.
Defending champion Liverpool only narrowly avoided joining them — eventually seeing off League One club Derby in a shootout after a 0-0 draw at Anfield.
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