Goals from Rolando Aarons and Moussa Sissoko gave a shock 2-0 victory over holders Manchester City.
Newcastle took the lead in the sixth minute with a cool finish from Aarons, Manchester City continued to pressurise with Stefan Jovetic and Yaya Toure. Sergio Aguero was brought on in the second period to get an equaliser but Sissoko doubled the lead with 15 minutes to play, Edin Dzeko had a close effort right at the death but it proved futile and Alan Pardew’s side progressed to the fourth round.
Newcastle were in trouble in the early proceedings when David Silva was about to pull the trigger from the edge of the area before he was brought down by the returning Ryan Taylor but Yaya Toure curled the resulting costless kick over the bar.
It was Newcastle who took a shock lead in the 6th minute, Taylor did well to dispossess Fernandinho and the ball was latched upon by Aarons who burst into the area and placed it between the legs of Willy Caballero and into the side of the net.
Despite being behind City continued to press their opposition, substitute Samir Nasri placed a good ball to the back post which fell to Stefan Jovetic his first time volley was saved well by Rob Elliot and defender Paul Dummett did well to block the second attempt.
Newcastle had a massive let off in the 26th minute, a low cross into the area was deflected off Captain Fabricio Coloccini which left keeper Elliot helpless but luckily for his side it came back off the face of the post.
Newcastle could have easily doubled their lead just after the half hour mark, defender Dummett was hauled over in the area by Eliaquim Mangala but he recovered well to hit a volley from the corner but Caballero got down well to keep the shot out.
Captain Yaya Toure took everyone off guard taking the shot onto his left foot hitting a low shot but Elliot again did well to save it, Newcastle had another opportunity to further their lead just before the break when the ball was met a sliding Adam Armstrong but it ended up behind.
City were still searching for their equaliser after the break when Milner played a clever costless kick through to Aleksander Kolarov on the by-line but his drive across the face of goal couldn’t be met, Gabriel Obertan had the ball in the net again when he smashed it into the roof of the net but he as flagged for offside.
Pelligrini decided to go all-out attack bringing off both Toure and Nasri in replacement of Jesus Navas and Aguero but still couldn’t create anything significant, Newcastle had big calls for a penalty when Sammy Ameobi played it through to Obertan who was brought down but it seemed that Kolarov had done just enough.
Fifteen minutes from time Newcastle doubled their lead in spectacular fashion, the ball came to substitute Sissoko just outside of the area and did brilliantly to get past both Fernandinho and Mangala before he coolly slot it through the legs of an oncoming Caballero.
City could have been back in the game with six minutes remaining if not for some excellent defending, the ball came across the box to the feet of Dzeko who looked had an easy finish but Taylor who had come back from a two year absence got across brilliantly to keep it out with his chest.
That proved to be the end for City and their reign as the Capital One Cup holders, they were pretty poor and going into the Manchester derby on Sunday on the back of three consecutive defeats confidence will not be high in Pelligrini’s camp. It will be the complete in Pardew’s side who claim their third straight win and their first ever win over City at the Etihad, the pressure may still be on Pardew but it looks like his side are finally finding their feet and for now his job is safe.