NEWCASTLE boss Eddie Howe will head into Sunday’s FA Cup third round clash with League Two Bromley intent on avoiding the second giant-killing act of his reign on Tyneside.

Head coach Howe had only been in charge for two months when League One Cambridge left St James’ Park with a famous 1-0 victory at the same stage of the competition in January 2022 on a day which saw England international Kieran Trippier make his debut.

Howe said: “I remember being really excited before the game to see Kieran Trippier play because I knew what a game-changer he would be for the team and for the whole club, so I was really excited to see him and I had a really good feeling before the game.

“We needed to win, the players were really focused, so it goes to show. It was a game where we were desperate, we would have done anything to win that game.

“But Cambridge came here, they were in good form themselves – very similar to Bromley in the respect that they were doing well in their league – and we just couldn’t score.

“The goalkeeper [Dimitar Mitov] had a great game that day, I remember, and the longer we didn’t score, the more you feared that they would get one chance, and they did.”

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In the event, Newcastle’s untimely exit from the competition allowed them to concentrate fully on the task of dragging themselves out of relegation trouble, something they achieved so impressively that they finished in 11th place.

This time around, they find themselves within touching distance of a second Carabao Cup final in three seasons and sit in fifth place in the Premier League table after a run of seven successive victories in all competitions.

Howe is likely to make significant changes – in-form striker Alexander Isak will not be involved as he nurses a tight hamstring and defender Sven Botman is another who may be rested after back-to-back games on his return to fitness – as he goes head-to-head with former Magpies goalkeeping coach Andy Woodman.

The Newcastle boss scored against Woodman in a 2-1 Division Two win for Bournemouth at Colchester in November 2001, but also worked with his son Freddie during his time on Tyneside.

Howe said: “I know Andy, from speaking to a lot of the staff, was very, very liked here. He was a really bubbly character with a great sense of humour, and a very good coach.

“He’s done a brilliant job, I have to say, at Bromley. He’s done incredibly well to win the FA Trophy and to get promotion into League Two.”