There were no fist pumps at the final whistle at St Mary's. Newcastle United had just won their biggest game in years yet, aside from the 3,200 Geordies bouncing to 'Who's that team you call United?', it did not necessarily feel like it at full-time. Encouragingly so.
Eddie Howe wants the fans to dream, but players and staff know they still have a job to do to reach the club's first League Cup final since 1976. Yes, Joelinton's goal has given Newcastle a slender advantage in the semi-final, following a 1-0 win against Southampton on Tuesday night, but a huge 90 minutes awaits in the return fixture at St James' Park next week.
It was rather telling, then, that there were no over the top celebrations on the field at full-time or in the away dressing room for that matter. In fact, for the first time since Howe took charge, there was no winning team photograph uploaded after a victory. The message was clear: it was only half-time in this two-legged tie.
