Newcastle United head into the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final with a two-goal advantage, hoping to end a 70-year trophy drought. On Wednesday night, they’ll face Arsenal at St James’ Park, with a place in the EFL Cup final up for grabs. The winners will play either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on March 16.
Newcastle have had a great run, with a record nine straight wins in all competitions, but have struggled recently with two losses in their last three Premier League matches. The latest defeat was a 2-1 loss to Fulham, despite leading at halftime through Jacob Murphy. The second-half collapse handed the Magpies back-to-back home defeats for the first time in a year.
Manager Eddie Howe was visibly disappointed with his team’s performance, as they missed a chance to break into the Premier League’s top four. They currently sit sixth, level on points with fifth-placed Manchester City, whom they’ll face next week.
Before that crucial match, Newcastle must refocus on the EFL Cup, aiming to reach their second domestic cup final in three years and secure their first major trophy since the 1955 FA Cup. In the first leg, they won 2-0 at Arsenal, with goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon, and will look to continue their strong recent form against the Gunners, having won three of their last four encounters.
Arsenal, on the other hand, come into the match in strong form, winning five of their last six games, including four straight victories with an 11-2 aggregate score. After securing a spot in the Champions League last 16 with a 2-1 win over Girona, they followed that up with an impressive 5-1 win over Manchester City, keeping their slim title hopes alive.
However, manager Mikel Arteta has warned his team not to get too carried away with the City win, as they remain six points behind Liverpool at the top of the Premier League. For Arsenal, the EFL Cup is now a top priority, having only won it twice in their history—most recently in 1993. They’ll need to win by at least three goals at St James’ Park to make it to the final, something they haven’t done since 2010. Still, a solid run of six wins from their last eight away matches gives the Gunners hope heading into the second leg.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Newcastle are still without Harvey Barnes (muscle injury) and Jamaal Lascelles (ACL injury), but Callum Wilson could have a chance to return to the matchday squad after more than eight weeks out with a hamstring issue.
Nick Pope has been on the bench for the last two games since recovering from a knee injury that kept him sidelined for 11 matches. Manager Eddie Howe will have to decide whether to bring Pope back into the starting lineup or stick with Martin Dubravka in goal.
Howe will also consider bringing Sven Botman back into the defense, potentially replacing either Fabian Schar or Dan Burn. Midfielder Joe Willock will be hoping to start, possibly ahead of either Joelinton or Sandro Tonali. Bruno Guimaraes, who missed the first leg through suspension, is expected to return to the starting lineup.
For Arsenal, they are still without Gabriel Jesus (ACL), Bukayo Saka (hamstring), and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), while Ben White is recovering from a long-term knee injury but may not be ready in time for this match.
David Raya, who overcame a muscle injury to start in the win over Man City on Sunday, is expected to keep his place in goal ahead of Neto.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, who scored his first senior goal and impressed at left-back last weekend, will hope to retain his starting spot over Riccardo Calafiori. Ethan Nwaneri, with three EFL Cup goals this season, will also be aiming to earn a place in the starting XI, possibly ahead of Gabriel Martinelli or Leandro Trossard.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Pope; Livramento, Botman, Schar, Hall; Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Gordon
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Martinelli, Havertz, Trossard
EXPERT PREDICTION
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Newcastle's recent slump in form has come at a good time for an Arsenal side buoyed by their big win over Man City last weekend. St James' Park is always a tough place to play, but the Gunners are well-prepared to go there and get a positive result on Wednesday.
That said, it remains to be seen if Arsenal can manage the three-goal win they need. The Magpies will likely make things difficult for them, and while Arsenal could come out on top in the game, Newcastle may still hold on to go through ona 3-2 aggregate result.
