Sir Bobby Robson once said: "You cannot make a competition a priority ... football doesn't work like that." But Alan Pardew doesn't agree.
At the start of the season Pardew laid out his list of priorities, saying the FA Cup was the competition Newcastle were going out to win ... with Europe a long shot; and the League Cup the bottom of the pile.
But, as United crashed out at the first time of asking, the Mackems and Smogs go head-to-head on Tuesday evening.
Giving one of them a place in the quarter final - just two steps from Wembley.
Chelsea play Manchester United, dumping one of the high-flyers out at the fourth round stage; and North London pair Arsenal and Spurs play Premiership opposition away from home.
The Mackems are 10/1 to win the competition ... and how sick would we look if the buggers won it!
League Cup Fourth round
Swindon v Aston Villa
Wigan v Bradford
Leeds v Southampton
Norwich v Tottenham
Liverpool v Swansea
Chelsea v Manchester United
Reading v Arsenal
BETTING TO WIN THE COMPETITION
Chelsea 9/2 Arsenal 5/1
Manchester Utd 13/2 Liverpool 13/2
Tottenham 7/1 Sunderland 10/1
Aston Villa 14/1 Swansea 20/1
Wigan 20/1 Southampton 28/1
Norwich 28/1 Leeds 33/1
Reading 40/1 Middlesbrough 50/1
Swindon 100/1 Bradford 250/1
