Newcastle put in another great performance on Tuesday night to earn a 2-0 away win against Arsenal and take a vital advantage in the EFL Cup first leg.
Eddie Howe’s side, who have enjoyed a veritable drought over the past month, took a shock lead in the 37th minute with attacking talisman Alexander Isak’s superb finish from inside the box. Ta.
With 90 minutes left to qualify for this season’s EFL Cup final and another famous trip to Wembley, Newcastle increased their advantage with Anthony Gordon’s backstick goal just six minutes after the restart. I doubled it.
Brazil international Gabriel Martinelli may have panicked when the game was goalless, but the Gunners have been unable to find any real fluidity and are now facing a real challenge.
Tottenham will host Liverpool in the first leg of the second semi-final on Wednesday (8pm Japan time), with the final to be played at Wembley on March 16th.
On a night when Newcastle collected heavyweight scalps in north London, we covered the main topics.
Newcastle announce new statement of intent
Newcastle may have shown signs of struggling when they returned from the November international break, but the Magpies have made a remarkable comeback.
Howe’s side produced a stunning comeback away to Tottenham last weekend to secure a 2-1 win in north London, and they certainly repeated their performance on Tuesday night.
The former Bournemouth manager, who ended 2024 with a 2-0 win over Manchester United, has seen his talented side win every competition in their past seven appearances.
Newcastle have gained a real reputation for clinical displays in the final third and continue to attract heavyweight scalps.
Howe’s men are in the driver’s seat looking to punch a ticket to Wembley as the mood around St James’s Park peaks as they rush back into the chase for Europe.
Arsenal have a big challenge
Arsenal may have entered the new year in the midst of a three-game winning streak in the Premier League, but it’s fair to say Mikel Arteta’s side are struggling to find consistency.
Last weekend ultimately left them disappointed as they had to settle for a 1-1 stalemate away at Brighton, but the hosts on Tuesday saw their Premier League title ambitions seriously dented. did.
The Gunners failed to claim an immediate response on Saturday, six points behind Liverpool, and suffered their first domestic defeat at the Emirates since April last year.
Arsenal are also struggling to cope with the absence of injured Bukayo Saka, while some in the Emirates support complain at the final whistle.
With their EFL Cup dreams in jeopardy, the Gunners will next welcome historic rivals Manchester United to north London this weekend.
Isaac details his amazing rush
Manchester City’s record-breaker Erling Haaland may have stolen many of the Premier League’s impressive headlines over the past two years, but Newcastle’s talisman has earned his place as one of Europe’s most lethal marksmen. only continued to emphasize his status.
Isak, who stepped into St James’ Park shortly after arriving from Real Sociedad in the summer of 2022, is enjoying another sensational form.
It’s no wonder the Swedish international continues to be linked with a host of Europe’s biggest clubs after a superb finish here and an opening goal in north London.
He has currently found the back of the net in the past five consecutive games across all competitions, and has scored 14 goals in 15 games since mid-October.
Newcastle’s resolve is sure to be severely tested in the January transfer window, with the 25-year-old making it clear he wants to play in the Champions League.
Match report
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Trossard, Havertz, Martinelli.
Subs: Zinchenko, Jesus, Jorginho
Newcastle: Dubravka, Librament, Botman, Byrne, Hall, Willock, Tonali, Joelinton, Murphy, Gordon, Isaac.
Subs: Almiron, Barnes, Kelly
Goals: Isaac (37′), Gordon (51′)
Yellow cards: Arsenal: Zinchenko – Newcastle: Gordon, Joelinton, Libramento
Red card: N/A
Referee: John Brooks
