Reaching a first League Cup semi-final in 47 years is one thing, but making it to a Wembley final? Well, that really would be the stuff of dreams for Newcastle United supporters, players, staff and owners alike.
Eddie Howe, himself, spoke about how 'we're desperate to hurry up the processes and try to get the team successful as quickly as possible' after Tuesday night's quarter-final win against Leicester City. The Newcastle head coach admitted it had been 'too long' since the club had won a trophy, back in May, 1969, when man had not even set foot on the moon.
With Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs and Chelsea already out of the competition, you can't help but feel the stars might be aligning, that Newcastle may never have a better chance of contesting a final. However, Newcastle certainly won't be taking Southampton lightly in the last four.
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Although Southampton are languishing at the foot of the Premier League, Nathan Jones has won all three of his cup ties to date, including an impressive 2-0 victory in the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Man City. Southampton's win was certainly no fluke; this was a City side packed with top-class internationals like Joao Cancelo, Kyle Walker, Aymeric Laporte, Kalvin Phillips, Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden, Julian Alvarez and Jack Grealish.
The aggressive Saints simply looked like they wanted it more and even Pep Guardiola could not help but admit that the 'best team won' after his side 'were not here'. If ever Newcastle needed a reminder that underestimating Southampton would be foolish.
In truth, Howe won't let that happen. This is a group, after all, who do not get too high during a 15-game unbeaten run or, equally, too low after a shock defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.
When it comes to this semi-final, that 2-1 loss at Hillsborough may end up proving a blessing in disguise. A first loss since August reminded the squad nothing is guaranteed after they failed to take their chances in the FA Cup third-round tie. The defeat has also given Howe's side a free weekend to prepare for the second-leg against Southampton.
That preparation time will be precious. Players and staff already know that these will be very different games to when Newcastle last visited St Mary's in November and romped to a 4-1 win in Ralph Hasenhuttl's final match in charge of the Saints. However, they will also be well-aware that Southampton won't relish coming to a rocking St James' in the return fixture a few days later.
“It could be massive," Howe told reporters after the quarter-final win against Leicester. "The home tie is going to be hugely important."
You can see why. Newcastle are unbeaten in their last 13 games in all competitions at home, which is a run that stretches back to May. The Magpies have lost just one match at St James' in the last 12 months and supporters have certainly played their part in bringing one of the 'cathedrals of English football' to life as Jones put it.
Wor Flags helped create a special atmosphere before a ball was even kicked in the quarter-final win against Leicester, as fans twirled their scarves and waved their flags, and the players fed off that energy with a breakneck start. Even when it looked like it could be one of those nights, after Sean Longstaff, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Dan Burn all went close in the opening 59 minutes, the crowd did not let their frustrations show.
Indeed, shortly before Burn's breakthrough on the hour mark, supporters roared with encouragement after Longstaff had a shot parried behind for a corner by Leicester' keeper Danny Ward. Those same fans pushed their side on when Burn blocked Marc Albrighton's attempted clearance and Willock seized upon Timothy Castagne's poor pass in the build-up to Newcastle's opener on the hour mark.
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Albrighton, himself, admitted it was 'difficult' for Leicester to 'get any hold of the game' with the crowd behind Newcastle, which were words echoed by boss Brendan Rodgers, who found a trip to St James' a little easier in a previous era.
"Newcastle have got great momentum," the Leicester manager told reporters after the game. "You always feel it's a great occasion when you come here, especially now they've got a real strong mentality in the team.
"They work very hard and they have got quality. There's good physicality in the team and, for any team coming here, it's clearly going to be difficult."
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