Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match in the EFL Cup quarter-finals between Hull City and Newcastle United.

It's only the end of November but we already have teams vying for a place in the last four of English football's secondary cup competition. Some of the biggest clubs in the country are still involved but Hull City and Newcastle United have been placed in a tie which both clubs probably hoped for before the draw was made. Their league commitments will come first but this is a considerable opening for one of these teams to move closer to an appearance at Wembley Stadium.

Hull are the home team and play in a division higher than their opponents but you have to question who are the favourites to progress. While Newcastle are competing in the Championship, they still possess a squad and a manager who would be able to keep the team comfortably above the Premier League relegation zone and that's something which Hull are not doing right now. Playing at the KCOM Stadium will give them a bit of an edge but Newcastle will relish the chance to put one over a top-flight side.

Anyway, enough rambling. Let's take a look at the team news...

HULL CITY XI: Jakupovic, Robertson, Maguire, Meyler, Huddlestone, Snodgrass, Livermore, Mbokani, Diomande, Dawson, Elmohamady

HULL CITY SUBSTITUTES: Marshall, Davies, Weir, Henriksen, Tymon, Bowen, Olley

NEWCASTLE UNITED XI: Sels, Clark, Lascelles, Lazaar, Anita, Gayle, Ritchie, Shelvey, Hayden, Diame, Gouffran

NEWCASTLE UNITED SUBSTITUTES: Darlow, Dummett, Mbemba, Yedlin, Tiote, Atsu, Murphy

Let's start off with the Hull side, with Mike Phelan having to make enforced changes due to the absence of Ryan Mason and the suspended Sam Clucas. That has seen both Tom Huddlestone and David Meyler drafted into the team while Adama Diomande is also given a chance from the start. Andrew Robertson begins the game at left-back after making his comeback at the weekend while Eldin Jakupovic is preferred to David Marshall.

Rafael Benitez has also chosen to make alterations with the most notable absentee being Aleksandar Mitrovic. Christian Atsu and DeAndre Yedlin drop to the substitutes' bench, as does goalkeeper Karl Darlow, with Mats Sels, Jamaal Lascelles, Vurnon Anita, Mohamed Diame and Dwight Gayle all among the players which start this evening.

HEAD TO HEAD! Tonight's fixture represents the 25th time that these two teams have met in a competitive fixture, with Newcastle winning exactly half of the past matches and Hull a quarter. When Hull first gained promotion to the Premier League, they ended up putting together a five-game unbeaten run in all competitions but Newcastle are undefeated in their last three encounters with the Tigers.

The most recent game between the clubs came at the end of January 2015 when the KCOM Stadium again hosted a game between these sides. On that occasion, Newcastle United ran out convincing 3-0 winners but we are convinced it will be much tighter this evening. Click here to take a look at our on-the-whistle report from that day.

While four clubs prepare to take part in the EFL Cup quarter-finals, the rest of the football world have been in mourning after the plane crash involving Brazilian top-flight side Chapecoense in which 76 are known to have passed away, including all but a few of the club's players. Click here to read the latest about the tragedy which occurred in Colombia.

Back to this game and let's take a look at Hull's route through to this stage of the EFL Cup. It all began at Exeter City as late goals from Adama Diomande and Robert Snodgrass helped secure a 3-1 win for the Premier League side and they then backed that up with an excellent 2-1 triumph away at Stoke City with Markus Henriksen getting the winner in added-on time.

Last month, Hull were able to progress without scoring any late goals as efforts either side of half time from Harry Maguire and Michael Dawson proved too much for Bristol City.

While Hull have been competing up and down the country, Newcastle have been able to remain at St James' Park to reach the last eight.

After 2-0 wins over both Cheltenham Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers, the Magpies thrashed Preston North End 6-0 in the last 16. Preston weren't helped by the first-half dismissal of Alan Browne but it was a ruthless performance from the North-East giants with Mitrovic and Diame both netting doubles.

Well this has got our hopes up...

17 - The last four meetings between Hull and Newcastle have produced 17 goals in total (4.25 per game). Open. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 29, 2016

There's another game taking place tonight and that's taking place at Anfield where Liverpool also host Championship opposition in Leeds United. If you want to follow that match (as well as staying with this match...), then click here and you'll have all you need for the next couple of hours.

PREDICTION! Despite their Championship status, Newcastle are the marginal favourites for this game and we agree with the bookmakers that the Magpies will just edge this game. Hull will likely have the better possession and may create the better chances but they don't have an in-form Dwight Gayle and we think he will prove to be the difference in a 2-1 victory over Benitez's men.

Before the start of this game, there will be a minute's silence as both clubs pay their respects to the poeple who lost their lives in the air disaster in Colombia on Monday night. I have no doubt that it will be impeccably observed.

It's time for the two teams to make their way out onto the pitch at the KCOM Stadium. It has been reported that we are facing the coldest night of the year so expect both sets of players to be keen on placing at a high tempo tonight.

Hull get us underway.

It's extremely cold at the KCOM Stadium. You can already see where the pitch has already started to freeze over. Hull have had all of the possession for these opening three minutes but they are yet to do anything with it. Newcastle are more than happy to keep their hosts in their own half.

Now it's Newcastle's turn to have some possession but unlike Hull, they attempt to do something with it. Crosses are whipping in from either flank but Hull do just enough to prevent any efforts on goal.

It's been more of the same from both teams over the past few minutes and we still await an opening for either side. Newcastle are looking the more threatening because of their directness but there have been no alarms for the home side.

You can't really say that either team have started that tentatively but there's just been very little intent to get a shot on goal. Everything is going down the flanks but so far, nothing is paying off.

SAVE! Newcastle create the first chance of the game and it's taken an excellent stop from Jakupovic to keep his side on level terms. A long ball sent Gayle clear of the defence but despite keeping his composure, his half-volley was kept out by the goalkeeper. Shelvey's long ball was sensational.

Moments after that, Diame - playing against his former club - fired marginally wide from 20 yards out.

The Magpies are starting to emerge as the stronger team here with Hull doing a lot of chasing. Benitez's side look comfortable on the ball or looking to launch counter-attacks and while Hull are coping so far, they could perhaps do with changing it up.

I was expecting a lot more from Diomande and Mbokani but so far, it's been an easy evening for both Lascelles and Clark. It's just not clicking for the Tigers. Newcastle are playing the ball about like a top-half Premier League team.

SHOT! Finally, Hull register a shot on goal and it comes as a result of a clever turn from Diomande. The forward lost possession but the ball fell to Snodgrass, who lashed a 20-yard strike several yards wide of the post. Better from the home side.

CHANCE! Back come Newcastle through Anita and after reaching the byline, he manages to find Diame with a floated cross into the middle. The Tigers old boy got above the defence but his header from eight yards went over the crossbar. He should have at least hit the target.

SHOT! What an effort from Ritchie. The ball was teed up for him on the edge of the area and he opted to take on a first-time curling effort. It seemed to beat Jakupovic but the ball went inches over the crossbar. So unlucky.

Newcastle had started to build a head of steam but they've reverted back to a cautious approach and seem happy to have a spell of possession in their defensive third. Still not much coming back from Hull.

SHOT! We are yet to mention another former Hull player in Isaac Hayden but he's very nearly broke the deadlock. The midfielder dispossessed a Tigers player in the middle of the pitch before advancing forward towards goal. He had options but he chose to shot and fire his shoot just wide of the post from 25 yards out. Very good attempt.

I am yet to see the possession statistics but it has to be at least 60-40 in Newcastle's favour, and that's even with Hull holding onto the ball for the first two or three minutes. Phelan has work to do at half time. We will just be hoping his team do not fall behind during the final seven minutes of this half.

Hull have been slightly better over the last few minutes but all they have to show for it is a cross from the left which was claimed by Sels. That's the most he has had to do all match.

Newcastle have joined Hull in lowering the tempo. I think that could be it for the first half.

Maybe not. There will be one minute of added-on time.

The half-time whistle goes at the KCOM Stadium and it's no surprise that we remain on level terms. Robertson had a shot for Hull in the last seconds of the half but it was never really threatening Sels's goal. Let's hope for more action after the break!

We are back underway.

That's a silly free kick to give away by Diomande. Shelvey was going nowhere on the right flank. The set piece from the midfielder found Gayle but he failed to make a connection with his glancing header at the front post.

Gayle puts down the afterburners to get away from Meyler and his run ends with the Hull midfielder being adjudged of fouling the striker. It's another free kick for the visitors and although Shelvey's delivery is decent once again, Hull are able to clear.

I don't think either side would welcome extra-time but Newcastle are the only team looking to attack. A cross-come-shot from Ritchie fails to find a teammate and goes wide of the far post.

Hull are very much in "parking the bus" mode. Newcastle are throwing men forward and it's only the final ball which is costing them. Gouffran has just tried his luck from 25 yards as well but his strike was nowhere near Jakupovic's goal.

Finally, Hull string together a few passes and they end up winning a free around 25 yards from goal after a foul from Hayden. It's Snodgrass who attempts to find the corner but it's a very poor effort that hits the wall.

We are through an hour at the KCOM Stadium and we are still no nearer to finding a goal. It won't be long until Phelan and Benitez decide to make some changes because the tempo of this match needs to change. Newcastle have failed to build on their early momentum after the restart.

To their credit, Hull are having the better of this game now and they are beginning to get opportunities in and around the penalty area. Hayden has just picked up a very cheap booking for a block on an advancing Hull player.

SHOT! Snodgrass is persisting with free-kick responsibilities and he is getting closer. However, despite curling the ball a yard or so wide of Sels's top corner, the goalkeeper is able to see it over.

BOOKING! Gouffran now goes into the book for a foul on Elmohamady but the Hull right-back has conned the referee here. There was no contact.

There are less than 20 minutes to go in this game and I have to say, it's odds-on that we are heading to extra-time. Neither team are doing enough to win this game right now. We need some substitutions!

I wish I had more news to bring you but there really is nothing happening right now. Hull are huffing and puffing but they are doing very little to trouble the Newcastle defence. As for Newcastle, they've not offered anything in the final third since about the 55th minute.

BOOKING! That's very naughty from Robertson. He's just pushed Lascelles over the advertising board as the Newcastle defender put the ball out for a throw-in. He is deservedly booked.

SUBSTITUTIONS! We have our first changes of the match and Hull are making all three at once! Livermore, Elmohamady and Weir have been introduced with Henriksen, Weir and Robertson coming off.

SUBSTITUTION! It's time for Benitez to follow suit and Atsu is on in place of Ritchie.

LATEST! It appears that Liverpool are heading through to the semi-finals. Goals from Origi and Woodburn have put them 2-0 ahead against Leeds United.

SHOT! Shelvey just tried to score from 40 yards but you can guess where his shot ended up. That's the best we have had in the last 20 minutes. Get your food supplies in now. We are almost certainly going to extra-time.

RED CARD! For some apparent reason, Mbokani has kicked out at Lascelles after a tackle between the pair and then pushed his head into the Newcastle defender's face. The referee books Lascelles for his part in the incident but he has no option but to send Mbokani off.

There will be three minutes of added-on time. Newcastle have been lifted by that dismissal but I think we will require another 30 minutes. Gouffran has just volley well over the bar.

That's the end of 90 minutes. We are heading into extra time. Don't all cheer at once.

We are back underway.

As expected, Hull have started to sit off the visitors. Remember, Hull have already made all three changes so this team will finish the game. Newcastle will boss possession here but can they find a winner?

Hull have only got a few yards into the Newcastle half since his extra 30 minutes started. It really is back-to-the-walls stuff but Newcastle aren't really forcing the issue yet. Benitez still has two substitutions up his sleeve.

WOW! What a few minutes. Give me a chance to explain.

After Lazaar had struck the crossbar, Newcastle opened the scoring from a corner with Gayle's flick on finding Diame, who netted from close range against his former club. However, just 77 seconds later, Hull found an equaliser through Snodgrass, who fired in the rebound after Henriksen's shot had been parried by Sels.

What an unbelievable sequence of events, especially given that this match has been rubbish.

Newcastle are back on the offensive but Hull have been rejuvenated after that equaliser. They believe that they can win this now.

Newcastle are making a change at the change of ends. Daryl Murphy is coming on for Hayden.

Hull get us back underway in the second half of extra time.

CHANCE! Murphy has been introduced for his threat in the air but it's Gayle who almost heads Newcastle in front, only to see Jakupovic pull off a terrific save.

SUBSTITUTION! Final change for Newcastle and it's at right-back with Yedlin coming on to take the place of Anita.

CHANCE! Gayle again seems odds-on to score but he somehow blazes the ball high into the stand from 12 yards after being found by Atsu.

CHANCE! Don't write Hull off just yet! Henriksen should at least find the target from around 14 yards but he curls the ball just over the bar. He knows how big a chance that could be.

SHOT! Newcastle are getting a little desperate now. They know they should probably be winning this game but time is running out. Lazaar just attempted a shot from 30 yards but it sailed over the bar. Four minutes to go.

CHANCE! What a chance for Hull! Snodgrass is played through but a combination of him wanting too much time and the attentions of Shelvey see the chance come and go.

Hull are somehow managing to hang on. Newcastle are throwing everyone forward but the home side have everyone behind the ball.

Penalties it is! Hull will be the happier of the two sides. They've had 10 men for over half an hour and played pretty poorly all match. Newcastle will be kicking themselves if they don't come through this shootout with the win.

It looks like Newcastle are going to take the first kick.

Against the odds, Hull have done it! Misses from Shelvey, Gayle and Gouffran have handed victory to the Tigers. Jakupovic saved from Shelvey and Gouffran while Gayle's effort struck the bar. Hull are heading into the semi-finals!

That will be all from Sports Mole for this match. Thank you for sticking with us! We hope to see you again tomorrow for the other two quarter-final ties. Goodbye for now.