'We're still in there fighting' - Newcastle manager not ready to concede after first-leg Carabao Cup semi-final loss to Man City

Newcastle United are down but not out, according to Eddie Howe.

The Magpies fell 2-0 at home to Manchester City on Tuesday in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-finals, with Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki scoring for the visitors. Cherki's goal came in stoppage time with Newcastle pushing for an equalizer, and it leaves Howe's side with a massive hill to climb when the teams reconvene at the Etihad Stadium early next month for the second leg.

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"It's a body blow but not fatal at the moment," the Newcastle manager told Sky Sports. "We're still in there fighting.

"I think [there was] maybe a bit of naivety with a minute to go on the clock, that we're still trying to chase a goal. In that moment, we needed to defend after we got our structure wrong from that position, and we got punished."

Tuesday's match comes three days after Newcastle played for 120 minutes against Bournemouth in the third round of the FA Cup, with the Magpies claiming victory in a penalty shootout. Howe believes his players were still feeling the effects of that game on Tuesday, leading to Man City's takeover in the second half after the teams were scoreless in the opening 45 minutes.

"All I can look at is the effort levels of the players, and I think considering Saturday's efforts that we gave against Bournemouth, that was a great effort from the guys against the worst side that could expose that fatigue," he said.

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