If recent history repeats itself Newcastle United will make the last eight of the League Cup next week via a penalty shoot-out and while my old heart has no need for such flickering pressure I would, at the end of the day, accept that with a shrug and move on.
Why? Because get to Wembley and no one remembers how you did it, only that you did! United drew 0-0 with Crystal Palace in the Premier League on September 3 and then squeezed past them 3-2 on spot kicks after another 0-0 'thriller' in the League Cup last time we engaged in knock out competition.
Go back to September 17 and the Magpies again drew, this time 1-1, at St James' Park with not the most dangerous of Premier League opposition Bournemouth and now go once more in their chase of Wembley glory against the same club on the same turf. See where I am coming from?
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Not the two greatest results of a so-far fabulous Premier League season but Tuesday night of next week represents the resumption of domestic football after a long break for the World Cup and all we care about, bottom line, is progress.
United have never won this particular competition, have failed to lift a domestic pot since 1955 when Wor Jackie smoked in the Wembley dressing-room at half-time, and rival clubs have fallen by the wayside like autumn leaves from the branch.
Only Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United of the power punchers remain - and the first two meet one another which means one must take the sword.
And should you make the national stadium no one remembers how you got there. No one says 'ah but.' When the FA Cup was last won in 1955 I am not repeatedly reminded that it took a replay in the semi-final to get past little York City of the third division.
Equally the one and only time United made the League Cup final, in 1975-76, it is not repeatedly stuck down the Geordie throat that our day in the sun came about because Notts County goalkeeper Eric McManus fumbled a long throw-in from Malcolm Macdonald into his own net at the park. Final score: 1-0.
All that is just so much small print in the record books. Of course, I wish for us to dismantle Bournemouth in a cascade of attacking football to wash away the taste of England's usual failure in big competitions when so much was expected. But there is no extra bonus for big wins in cup competitions. There is no goal difference to enhance, just victory to gain.
I thought United would beat Palace in normal time one round ago but it failed to happen. Yet we are still here while Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea are not.
Significantly when United drew with Palace and Bournemouth back to back in the league Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin were both missing. Wilson was also absent for the Palace League Cup tie while the starting line up also lacked the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Kieran Trippier, Sven Botman, Miggy Almiron and Joe Willock which was a big slice of talent.
Who Eddie Howe will serve up on Tuesday night - 24 hours earlier than anticipated due to a NHS strike which shortens recovery time for some - is anyone's guess and will unquestionably impact on the progress of the match.
However, we have absolutely no wish come what may to resume Newcastle hostilities with a home defeat, apart from closing the door on a genuinely good opportunity to make a final, because among other things we want to reignite the feel good factor. This is a mood setter.
So let Newcastle do it in style. But above all let them do it!
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