Just when Manuel Pellegrini needed a morale-boosting victory at Manchester City, Newcastle United left the Etihad Stadium enveloped in dark clouds that are beginning to resemble fifty shades of grey.
Their reign as Capital One Cup holders over following eye-catching goals from Rolando Aarons and Moussa Sissoko, City must now prepare for Sunday's derby against Manchester United with David Silva struggling to overcome a knee injury, Yaya Toure battling a groin strain and the prospect of unbridgeable gaps opening up between themselves and their rivals in the Premier League and Champions League.
Newcastle, without a win at City since triumphing at Maine Road in 2000, deservedly earned a quarter-final trip to Tottenham after displaying too much passion and desire for Pellegrini's complacent and lethargic players.
The champions are not in crisis yet, but as United prepare to visit this weekend, Pellegrini conceded that his team are now suffering a crisis of confidence just two months into the season.
“My feeling is that we are not playing well,” Pellegrini said. “We are in a difficult moment.
“We are conceding too many easy goals and are not scoring the chances we have to score. That's the feeling at this moment “It's a lack of confidence that we must address as soon as possible because we need to continue to be involved in the other competitions.” With United desperate to avenge two defeats against City last season and concerns over Silva and Toure, Pellegrini even admitted he was â€⃜worried' about the games ahead.
“Of course we must be worried,” Pellegrini said. “We didn't win the three games we played this week. We must be worried about that, but we must find a solution and we must address it.
“We will see on Thursday with the doctor (about Silva). David has a problem in his knee. I don't know how serious it is. Yaya was a little bit tired with his groin so I didn't want to risk him [any longer].” Whatever the cause of City's malaise, Pellegrini is clearly not getting the most from a group of players who ultimately grew tired of Roberto Mancini's dictatorial approach.
Whether Pellegrini's cold, insipid approach has seen City go too far the other way is debatable, but what worked last season is not working now and Newcastle took full advantage.
Newcastle, without a major trophy since the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, have rarely threatened to end their lengthy silverware drought under the controversial ownership of Mike Ashley.
The common perception on Tyneside is that the sportswear tycoon only cares for the financial rewards of remaining in the Premier League, with the glory of success doing little to affect the bottom line.
While that carefree attitude is not shared by the Newcastle supporters, who remain desperate for a trophy of any description to be paraded around St James' Park, Pardew's team selection in cup ties has hinted at an acceptance that league points are the only currency that will keep him in a job.
So rather than retain the starting eleven which won at Tottenham on Sunday, Pardew made six changes to his team and found his players faced with a surprisingly strong City line-up ahead of the Manchester derby.
But while the tie appeared a mismatch on paper due to the respective teams, Pardew's fringe players clearly regarded this fixture as an opportunity to stake their claim and they stunned City by taking the game to the holders.
Ryan Taylor, making his first appearance since August 2012 following two cruciate ligament injuries, served notice of Newcastle's desire as early as the fourth minute when he conceded a free-kick with a heavy challenge on Silva.
The City playmaker rose to his feet and attempted to shake off the injury suffered in the challenge, but the Spaniard lasted just five more minutes before conceding defeat.
By that stage, Newcastle were a goal ahead after Aarons has punished a mistake by Fernandinho to put the visitors ahead.
The 18-year-old, making his first appearance since scoring in the 3-3 draw against Crystal Palace at the end of August, broke into the penalty area and scored with an angled shot past goalkeeper Willy Caballero after Taylor had dispossessed Fernandinho thirty yards from goal.
It was the dream start for Newcastle, who had been eliminated by City at the same stage of the competition last October, but the big question was whether they had struck too early.
City, clearly, had time to respond and they wasted no time in attempting to haul themselves level.
But it was Newcastle who carved out the best chance to extend the scoring before half-time, when Paul Dummett spurned a golden chance on 32 minutes.
Unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box, Dummett should have scored from Taylor's corner, but the defender shot straight at Caballero, who saved with his legs.
With the game entering the final half hour and no breakthrough in sight, Pellegrini opted to replace Toure, who had taken a first-half knock, with Jesus Navas in a bid to protect his midfielder and also add pace to his team's attacking forays.
But Newcastle were now attempting to suffocate the game, with Pardew instructing his players to defend in two banks of four, with only Adam Armstrong, and then substitute Emmanuel Riviere, staying up front to pressure the City defenders.
Despite their efforts to hold onto their lead, Newcastle remained dangerous on the break and they were unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty on 69 minutes when referee Stuart Attwell incredibly dismissed appeals when Aleksandar Kolarov upended Gabriel Obertan.
Pardew was incandescent, but his rage subsided six minutes when Sissoko won the game after waltzing past Fernandinho and Bacary Sagna before slotting the ball past Caballero for a victory Newcastle fully deserved.
Quarter-final draw
- Derby County v Chelsea
- Spurs v Newcastle
- Bournemouth v Liverpool
- Sheffield United v Saints
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