Newcastle United cruised into the fourth round of the League Cup, with Joelinton and William Osula each bagging a brace in a comfortable 4-1 victory over Bradford City. The win, which saw the holders of the competition advance with ease, was exactly what Newcastle needed to kickstart their attack.

The game saw Newcastle manager Eddie Howe field a strong lineup, proving too strong for the League One leaders, Bradford City. Newcastle's dominant performance provided a therapeutic evening for the team, who have struggled to find the net in their Premier League campaign so far. In fact, Newcastle scored more goals in this single match against Bradford City than they have in their first five Premier League games.

Joelinton opened the scoring in the 17th minute, finding the net for the first time in nine months. After Anthony Gordon’s initial shot was blocked, Joelinton controlled the ball and placed his shot past Bradford's goalkeeper, Sam Walker. Just two minutes later, Osula doubled Newcastle's advantage, latching onto a superb pass from Bruno Guimarães and slotting the ball past Walker.

Newcastle continued to dominate, with Guimarães hitting the woodwork shortly after the break. Joelinton scored his second in the 75th minute, converting a low cross from Guimarães. Bradford managed to pull one back through Andy Cook, a boyhood Newcastle fan, who scored a memorable goal in front of the travelling fans. However, Osula quickly restored Newcastle's three-goal lead, tapping in a cross from Harvey Barnes to seal the victory.

Howe admitted that his side was lacking the "X Factor", so the four goals and the confidence gained by Osula could help spark Newcastle's attack into life. This victory marked Joelinton's first multi-goal game since September 2020.

The fourth-round draw has already been made, with Newcastle set to host Tottenham. Other notable ties include Manchester City away at Swansea City, Arsenal hosting Brighton, and Liverpool at home to Crystal Palace.