Newcastle United’s visit to the Emirates for the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final against Arsenal promises to be an intriguing match after both teams’ contrasting results over the weekend.
Arsenal, fresh off a 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion, are looking to bounce back from a disappointing result in their Premier League title chase. Despite a positive streak of 13 unbeaten matches across all competitions, the Gunners have been struggling, especially with defensive lapses like William Saliba’s costly penalty at Brighton.
On the other hand, Newcastle United comes into the match with a strong 2-1 victory at Tottenham Hotspur, their sixth consecutive win across all competitions. With Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak playing key roles in their attack, the Magpies have been in excellent form, scoring at least twice in their last eight matches.
Newcastle will be buoyed by their strong recent record against North London clubs, having defeated Arsenal 1-0 earlier this season at St. James’ Park. However, they will face a challenging task as they attempt to end a 14-year winless streak at the Emirates, with their last victory in North London dating back to 2010.
Arsenal's formidable home record this season and their hunger for a first League Cup title since 1993 will make them tough opponents. They will be looking to rebound from their frustrating draw with Brighton and take an important first-leg advantage.
Meanwhile, Newcastle is eager to end their long trophy drought, with this competition offering them a prime opportunity to secure silverware. The clash promises an exciting, closely contested encounter with both sides motivated to make their mark
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
There wasn’t much concern when Arteta subbed off goalscorer Nwaneri at halftime during the Brighton game—many thought it was just a result of his late yellow card for time-wasting. However, after the match, Arteta delivered some unfortunate news, revealing that the 17-year-old had picked up a muscular injury. Nwaneri is now expected to be out for a few weeks, potentially missing up to 10 matches. Meanwhile, Kai Havertz is also racing against time to prove his fitness after missing the last two games due to illness.
Arsenal is still without Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Raheem Sterling (knee), Ben White (knee), and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), though Sterling could be fit in time for the FA Cup clash against Manchester United. On a brighter note, Jurrien Timber is available again after serving a yellow-card suspension.
As Arsenal deals with a few key absences, Newcastle is also missing some crucial players for the first leg. Fabian Schar and Bruno Guimaraes are both suspended from the competition after picking up their second yellow cards in the win over Brentford.
Schar, who was also unavailable for the weekend’s Premier League match, joins a lengthy injury list that includes Emil Krafth (shoulder), Nick Pope (knee), Callum Wilson (thigh), and Jamaal Lascelles (knee).
Sven Botman, who was subbed off during the Spurs match, is thought to have just suffered from cramp, but given his recent return from an ACL injury, it would be surprising to see him start back-to-back games. As a result, Lloyd Kelly could step in for Schar, while Sean Longstaff and former Arsenal player Joe Willock are likely contenders to replace Guimaraes.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Martinelli, Jesus, Trossard
Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Dubravka; Trippier, Kelly, Burn, Hall; Longstaff, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Gordon
EXPERT PREDICTIONS
Arsenal 1-1 Newcastle
Newcastle has successfully set up to defend at the Emirates before, like in their 0-0 draw last January, so Eddie Howe may be tempted to adopt a more cautious strategy with key players like Schar and Guimaraes unavailable.
While the high-scoring Magpies shouldn’t park the bus entirely, especially with their attacking trio in such great form, Arsenal are typically strong at home and continue to find ways to score, even without Saka.
Considering all of this, a low-scoring draw seems likely for the first leg. That would certainly be a more favorable result for Newcastle, giving them a solid foundation heading into the return fixture at St James' Park on February 5.
