LLOYD Kelly is happy to admit that it's taken time to adjust to life at Newcastle United.

But it took no time at all for Kelly to realise just what it would mean on Tyneside if the Magpies can end their long wait for silverware.

Newcastle made the last eight of the Carabao Cup for the third successive year and have a December date with Brentford to look forward to after knocking out Chelsea on Wednesday night.

Making just his fifth start since his summer arrival from Bournemouth, Kelly enjoyed his best display by far against Enzo Maresca's side and staked a strong claim to keep his place in the side for Saturday's Premier League visit of Arsenal.

Kelly has had to be patient since joining in the summer. Although he has previously worked under Howe on the south coast, adjusting to the head coach's demands didn't happen overnight.

But the 26-year-old thinks his superb midweek display is a sign that he's now found his feet in the North East.

"I'd say for myself, I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a bit up and down," said Kelly, reflecting on the early stages of the campaign.

"Coming into a new club, you want to get settled as quickly as you can. I think I'm finally starting to feel a bit more settled. Adjusting to how the gaffer wants to play and the teammates and things of course takes a bit of time. I think I'm finally starting to find my feet.

"It can be different and difficult to move, but there are loads of people here who gave me a helping hand and the squad made me feel welcome. Of course it's going to be different, changing location and teammates, but everyone has helped me settle."

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And Kelly has quickly learnt of the Tyneside trophy desperation.

"I've definitely realised that," he said.

"Speaking to people, seeing different things on and off the pitch, you can tell just how much it will mean to a lot of people.

"When the next game comes, we'll make sure we're ready for it.

"We talked about the importance of the cup competitions in the lead up to the Chelsea game. Going into it, we knew how important it was and what it means. And when the next game comes around, we're going to be ready for that as well."

Wednesday night's success was much-needed for the Magpies on the back of a five-game winless stretch that had seen Howe's side drop into the bottom half of the Premier League table.

And although Howe has been encouraged by most of his side's displays, the Chelsea performance was much more like the full-blooded Newcastle fans have come to expect over the course of the last few years.

Kelly said: "We looked at things we needed to improve on from that league game [against Chelsea] and I think we did that, especially in the first half.

"We put them under pressure, knew what we wanted to do and how they wanted to play. We implemented that gameplan to a tee.

"When you see the work we've put in, the video analysis and stuff on the training pitch, when it works on the pitch it's a nice feeling.

"It's still early. Everyone knows the level we can play and we're building towards that. The sooner we reach that level, the better."