'Struggle' - Matthias Jaissle shuts down Newcastle United using bold Eddie Howe Liverpool tactic v Everton
Matthias Jaissle has confirmed he will not be deploying a tactic previously used by Eddie Howe en route to Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup success in 2025.
Matthias Jaissle is treating Newcastle United’s upcoming Carabao Cup and Premier League double-header against Everton as individual matches rather than one big battle.
The Magpies travel to face Everton in the Carabao Cup last-16 on Thursday night before hosting them at St James’ Park in the Premier League the following Monday.
Despite the two important matches in quick succession, Jaissle has played down the prospect of trying something his predecessor Eddie Howe did for Newcastle’s Carabao Cup win in 2025 against Liverpool.
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17 days before the Carabao Cup final, Newcastle travelled to face Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League. In that match, Howe opted to name Callum Wilson up front instead of Alexander Isak while also removing Joelinton from the side and changing formation.
The change didn’t go unnoticed by then Liverpool head coach Arne Slot at the time.
“I saw a different Newcastle tonight,” he said after his side claimed a 2-0 win at Anfield. “I don't know if that is for a reason.
“Normally they press in a 4-5-1 and today they did a 4-4-2 and Isak and Joelinton were not there. We can expect something different in a few weeks."
And something different is exactly what they got as Isak and Joelinton returned to the side to play key roles in Newcastle securing a 2-1 win and ending a 70-year domestic trophy drought. After the win, Howe admitted to deliberately keeping his tactical cards close to his chest in the game at Anfield, with Liverpool also going for the Premier League title.
But with much lower stakes this time around, Jaissle insists he’s not playing any tactical games with Moyes over the next two fixtures.
“Step by step, game by game, definitely,” Jaissle told the Gazette about his approach. “Otherwise you tend to struggle.
“We try to play every match to win. Every competition is important so I do not want to decide on one or the other. That is my approach. Of course, I cannot speak on behalf of my coaching colleagues but I think if they are honest, they would also want to win these matches.”
Of course, Howe’s side lost the initial match to Liverpool before winning the all-important final at Wembley Stadium shortly afterwards - a risk that well and truly paid off. Back then, the cup final was more important to Newcastle, while this time around it’s hard to choose between a last-16 cup match and any early-season league encounter.
But Newcastle’s recent history in the Carabao Cup only serves to put more pressure on Jaissle and his side to deliver. United have reached at least the quarter-finals of the competition in each of the last four seasons.
As such, the Newcastle boss insists he is going ‘all in’ to win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Thursday night.
“Due to the history now of the club in this competition, I have the same approach to play with the best possible line-up, this is clear,” Jaissle added. “I heard now we're getting huge support.
Again, in an away match, really special during a week, having 8,000 fans with us, taking the journey to support us, that's something which shows the importance of that competition, and we will for sure also be aligned with that and go all in.
“[The fans] had the taste now of winning that competition, and we can just work on our best, even though the circumstances are a bit different after what happened in summer, but we try our best, and that's with great support also in Everton, with 8,000 spectators, so that shows just how much our fans love this club.”