Newcastle United secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday evening at St James’ Park, advancing to the third round of the Carabao Cup. The win sets up a challenging away tie against Millwall next month.

The match featured a mixture of changes from Newcastle’s previous Premier League lineup, as head coach Matthias Jaissle opted to make six alterations following the recent 2-2 draw with Liverpool. Jaissle’s selection demonstrated his intent to balance squad rotation with maintaining competitive strength, responding to supporters’ hopes for another strong cup run.

Among the changes, new signings Ewen Jaouen and Bazoumana Toure were handed their first competitive starts of the season. Jaouen, who impressed in a recent friendly against Strasbourg, had a mixed evening, failing to fully deal with West Brom’s opening goal from Isaac Price’s free-kick but later redeeming himself with a key save from another set-piece. Toure contributed positively in attack and opened his Newcastle scoring account by capitalizing on a cross to put the hosts ahead. However, he was withdrawn at halftime after struggling to establish chemistry with Lewis Hall down the left flank.

Harvey Barnes replaced Toure in the second half and emerged as the decisive figure for Newcastle. The England international quickly turned the game in his team’s favour, scoring twice. Less than two minutes after coming on, Barnes reacted swiftly to a blocked shot to restore Newcastle’s lead. His composed finish in the later stages effectively sealed the victory. Barnes had signalled during pre-season his readiness to take on a leadership role this campaign, and his performance on Wednesday underscored his influence when the team required inspiration.

West Brom’s Isaac Price netted twice to keep the match competitive, but Newcastle’s resilience ensured progress in the competition.

The line-up also featured Joe Willock and Jacob Murphy, both nearing the ends of their contracts. Their continued involvement raised questions about their futures, with transfer interest reportedly emerging as the summer window draws to a close. Willock, in particular, drew attention after scoring in the recent draw against Liverpool, and he received a standing ovation upon his second-half substitution. Although Newcastle’s coaching staff are keen to retain Willock, Turkish club Besiktas have expressed interest, suggesting a possible transfer battle in the coming days.

Overall, Newcastle’s victory marked their first of the season and provided some promising signs as they balance squad management with ambitions in both domestic cup and league competition.