I almost drove off the road when we drew Man City in FA Cup, says Howe

LONDON: Drawing defending champions Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals was the last thing Eddie Howe wanted to hear as the Newcastle United manager prepares to face last year’s treble winners for a fourth time this season.

Newcastle, who last won the trophy in 1955, will visit City on March 16 for the knockout fixture. “I was driving at the time and I almost swerved off the road! It wasn’t the draw we wanted, that’s for sure,” Howe told reporters on Friday.

“I don’t think any team wants to play Man City four times in a season. But... to win the FA Cup you will probably have to beat Manchester City at some stage in the competition. We are just going to have to do that sooner than we would have hoped.”

Newcastle beat City in the League Cup in September, but lost to the defending champions twice in the Premier League, where they host Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday. Howe said the return of Elliot Anderson, Joe Willock, Alexander Isak and Sven Botman from injury has given his team a boost.