Eddie Howe’s changes for Newcastle United’s mid-week tie versus Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup didn’t disrupt the Magpies’ winning streak one bit.

Instead, some of the reserves that were thrust into the first-team spotlight for the occasion shone to collect Newcastle’s third straight victory in all competitions, as Aaron Ramsdale proudly kept a clean sheet in place of regular shot-stopper Nick Pope.

Alongside Ramsdale, Joe Willock also picked up an assist to steer the Toon to a 2-0 success to respond to some of his St James’ Park critics, with Fabian Schar – who had been frozen out of Howe’s first team picture in the Premier League as of late – also chipping in with a goal himself.

In the past, Newcastle also would have fallen back on Callum Wilson for ties such as these, with Wilson once a trusty second-in-command figure on Tyneside in the attacking areas, before his career up North began to unravel.

Wilson's goalscoring heroics at Newcastle

Before Wilson was allowed to leave the building this summer, he was viewed as a dependable source of goals in tricky moments.

The 33-year-old striker – who will potentially face off against his old club on Sunday, having signed for West Ham United – managed to bag a high 49 goals for the Magpies from 130 games, despite finding his minutes were depleting after Alexander Isak’s earth-shuddering move to England in 2022.

Amazingly, nine of those league strikes would be put away during the 2022/23 campaign by the top-flight veteran, even as he started just nine Premier League games all season long.

In the end, however, recurring injury issues would be the former AFC Bournemouth attacker’s undoing, with 29 games missed through injury during his final season on Tyneside souring his long-standing affiliation with the club.

Still, Wilson will surely be remembered fondly for his regular heroics from off the bench, with one of his Toon coaches in Graeme Jones, hailing him as “the best matchday finisher” he has worked alongside.

Unfortunately, though, time creeps up on us all.

But, Howe could have his next iteration of Wilson in his star-studded Newcastle camp right now, as the star in question also holds a standout record when being unleashed into games from off the bench.

Howe's new Callum Wilson

The obvious figure who could be considered Howe’s next Wilson is Nick Woltemade, with the towering 6-foot-6 German a similar menace in front of goal.

At the height of his St James’ Park powers, the 33-year-old very rarely needed a second invitation to power home a fierce effort, with the former Stuttgart man very much operating in the same manner right now as a potent marksman.

So far, Woltemade can boast a Premier League goal every 120 minutes, with four strikes finding the back of the net from the lethal goalscoring machine from a mere average of just 28.5 touches per contest.

But, as much as he shares the same instinctive style in front of goal as Wilson, he is leading the line for the Toon week in week out now in the absence of the aforementioned Isak, instead of operating in the shadows.

Games played

14

Minutes played

582 mins

Goals scored

3

Assists

1

Games missed through injury

7

If you want an example of a talent who often has to make do with scraps off the bench, sometimes owing to injury difficulties, and who still picks up a goal and an assist here and there, Harvey Barnes might well be your better bet when looking at his Newcastle numbers from this campaign in isolation.

All four of the ex-Leicester City man’s goals and assists this campaign have come about when he’s been gifted late cameos, with two whirlwind strikes recently falling into his lap in the Champions League against Benfica – from just 27 minutes of action – very much backing up previous comments that the one-time England international is a “menace” in attacking areas by journalist Mikey Stafford.

17 goals have now come his way from 77 Newcastle appearances, which is a mightily impressive record when you delve into the facts further that he has missed 38 games in total through injury on Tyneside, since leaving the King Power Stadium behind.

But, when he is fit, Howe knows he can count on him to bail his team out of some tense moments, as a new Wilson-like presence is unearthed.

Woltemade, it must be said, is undoubtedly emerging as Howe’s new attacking figurehead, but Barnes is more than a quality weapon in reserve.

He'd surpass Tonali: Newcastle rivalling Real Madrid for £120m "powerhouse"

Newcastle are in the process of succession planning in the middle of the park.

ByAngus Sinclair