Mauricio Pochettino will field a strong team to face Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup

After crashing out of Europe Newcastle United will want prove themselves by progressing in the Carabao Cup tonight as they take on Chelsea in the quarter-final.

We are expecting Eddie Howe to name the strongest possible starting XI despite all of the injuries currently plaguing the squad.

While other clubs would use the Carabao Cup as an opportunity to rest first-team players, Newcastle don't really have that luxury right now with so many players missing. Also, after coming so close to winning the competition last season, they will want to do all they can to take it one step further this year.

Poch is not going to take it easy on Newcastle tonight

However, if we were expecting Chelsea to just roll over and accept their fate, we've got another thing coming.

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According to the official Chelsea website, boss Mauricio Pochettino has vowed to go strong with his team selection tonight and that could include their £52million summer signing Christopher Nkunku who has yet to make an appearance for his new club after picking up an injury in pre-season.

Newcastle recently stunned Chelsea by beating them 4-1 in the Premier League at St James' Park and that defeat will be living large in their memories going into tonight's game.

Chelsea will be out for revenge after being humiliated by Newcastle

No doubt the manager, the team and the fans will be out for revenge tonight and hoping to take advantage of Newcastle's shoddy away form.

Chelsea are very hit-and-miss this season, brilliant one week and terrible the next so it's a coin toss as to which Chelsea turns up tonight, hopefully, it's the same one that rocked up at St James' Park and went home humbled a couple of weeks ago.

Despite Newcastle's terrible away form in the league, the Magpies did beat Manchester United 3-0 in their own back yard in this competition, so Chelsea won't be given an easy ride either. It's going to be an entertaining match with the threat of a penalty shoot-out looming over the sides if a winner can't be found in normal time.