Eddie Howe drops revealing Newcastle United squad insight after Carabao Cup win

There was obviously no Callum Wilson at Prenton Park last night. Allan Saint-Maximim also stayed behind on Tyneside with Wilson, waiting for the results of a scan on his hamstring, after his exploits against Manchester City at St James’s Park three days earlier.

But just about everyone else who was fit and available travelled to Merseyside for Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup tie against Tranmere Rovers.

Eddie Howe made 10 changes for the second-round tie, but packed his bench with big names.

And the club’s three biggest all-time signings – Joelinton, Bruno Guimaraes and Sven Botman, signed at a cost of more than £110million – were sent on to help the team see out the game, which Newcastle won 2-1.

This underlined the importance attached to the cups by Howe at a club whose hierarchy didn’t see them as a priority during Mike Ashley’s time as owner. Howe and the club’s new ownership group take a different view.

The squad, according to Howe, “wanted to be together” so they could support each other.

“We wanted to bring everyone who was fit,” said United’s head coach, who hopes to sign Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad this week. “We wanted to be together.

“We didn’t want to lose the spirit and togetherness that we’ve got from the group. We wanted the players that have played a lot of football to support the guys that hadn’t played as much.

“There was a good feeling on the bench. Those guys that came on did very well.”

Newcastle didn’t get off to the best start at Prenton Park, where they were backed by 2,200 travelling fans housed in the Cowshed Stand.

Tranmere scored through Elliot Nevitt after a quick break down the right, and Emil Krafth was stretchered off late in the half. Kieran Tripper, brought on for Krafth, would change the game.

Seconds after coming on, Trippier delivered a corner which was forced home at the second attempt by captain Jamaal Lascelles, and the England international delivered superb another flag kick for Chris Wood to score from early in the second half.

“Inside, obviously, I wanted to get through, but it was like ‘come on lads, you’ve got to stand up here - this is going to be a good examination of our attitude, organisation, commitment’,” said Howe.

“The lads passed that test with flying colours, did really well, managed a very really difficult part of the game superbly.”

Against City, Newcastle had been at their best with the ball. However, they had to show a steely side to their game against Tranmere.

“We do need different tools at different times,” said Howe. “Today wasn’t necessarily about free-flowing football, as much as we wanted it to be.

“We didn’t really get in any rhythm with the ball. Although we had a lot of it, I don’t think we penetrated enough.

“I don’t think we got behind them enough. I thought our best spell was probably the first 20 minutes of the second half. What we did do well, was we dug in – and found a way to win.”

United were a long way from their best at Prenton Park, but the resilience and resourcefulness they showed on a challenging night bodes well for the coming months.