Newcastle United needed extra-time to beat Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup third round replay.
Alan Shearer has hailed Newcastle duo Sean Longstaff and Callum Roberts for netting their first senior goals for the club during their 4-2 FA Cup win against Blackburn on Tuesday night.
Rafa Benitez’s side needed extra-time to knock out the Championship club despite Longstaff and Roberts putting their side 2-0 up inside 22 minutes at Ewood Park.
The Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer Shearer took to his personal Twitter account to send a message to the Magpies duo as the away team sealed their passage through to the next round.
As a result of that win, Newcastle will now host fellow Premier League side Watford in the fourth round, with the St James’ Park supporters hoping for some success outside of the Premier League.
The Magpies are currently sitting in the relegation zone as they face a tough encounter against fellow strugglers Cardiff City at the weekend.
It remains to be seen if midfielder Longstaff and winger Roberts play any part in that game, with the latter yet to represent his boyhood club in England’s top-flight.
The main issue facing Benitez now will be the injuries suffered to senior centre-back duo Ciaran Clark and Jamaal Lascelles.
Republic of Ireland international Clark went off injured at half-time, with his replacement Lascelles pinging his hamstring after being on the field for only three minutes.
Nonetheless, Neil Warnock’s Cardiff team are one place and one point above Newcastle in the table and a win for the northeast club would take them out of the drop zone.
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