Ryan Taylor delighted with "fairytale" comeback

Ryan Taylor has reflected on his "fairytale" return to the Newcastle United side after a two-year absence following Wednesday's 2-0 League Cup win away to Manchester City.

The 30-year-old came through 90 minutes at the Etihad to help the Magpies progress into the quarter-finals of the competition with a shock victory over the defending champions.

The defender had been sidelined for 26 months after suffering back-to-back cruciate ligament injuries, and Taylor is delighted to mark his comeback with such a scalp.

"It was a fairytale. It was a dream that all came true," he told The Mirror. "It's been two years of hard graft to get back playing. What a performance that was from the lads."

Youngster Rolando Aarons had fired Newcastle into a sixth-minute lead, before Moussa Sissoko added another with 14 minutes remaining to seal the win.

Alan Pardew's side will face Tottenham Hotspur in the last-eight stage of the tournament.