Newcastle United not 'supportive' of EFL rule change after £64m transfer completed

Eddie Howe is not a fan of this EFL rule change as Newcastle United host Manchester City in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final.

Manchester City will have Antoine Semenyo available for their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg tie away to Newcastle United.

Antoine Semenyo of Manchester City celebrates scoring his team's sixth goal during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Manchester City and Exeter City at Etihad Stadium on January 10, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

placeholder image — Antoine Semenyo of Manchester City celebrates scoring his team's sixth goal during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Manchester City and Exeter City at Etihad Stadium on January 10, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Magpies head into the match on the back of Saturday’s FA Cup third round penalty shootout win over AFC Bournemouth at St James’ Park.

It was the first game that Bournemouth had played since selling talisman Semenyo to Man City for a reported £65million.

Semenyo netted a late winner for the Cherries in their midweek Premier League win against Tottenham Hotspur before scoring on his Man City debut as they thrashed League One side Exeter City 10-1 at the Etihad Stadium.

Antoine Semenyo eligible to face Newcastle United after Carabao Cup rule change

In past seasons, Semenyo would have been cup-tied against Newcastle after featuring for Bournemouth in their Carabao Cup second round defeat to Brentford. But ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, those rules were amended.

Under EFL rule 6.4, players are able to represent two clubs in the competition in a season.

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe is not a fan of the Carabao Cup rule change

It’s a rule that stopped Newcastle from playing both Martin Dubravka and Anthony Gordon in the 2023 Carabao Cup final against Manchester United after they had represented Everton and Manchester United in the earlier rounds.

Dubravka’s absence was a huge blow for the Magpies, who a week earlier watched Nick Pope receive a straight red card in a Premier League match against Liverpool. That carried over into the Carabao Cup and United were forced to start third-choice goalkeeper Loris Karius.

Asked about the rule change, Howe responded: “Yeah, it was nice to find out that rule had changed after finding out they'd signed him! Yeah, I have to say that's probably one rule change I probably wouldn't be supportive of at this current moment, but Antoine's had an incredible season.

“I'm a big admirer of his, and he scored on his debut, so fair play to him. I think Man City have signed a very, very good player.”

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