JUST IN: How to watch today’s Newcastle United vs. Arsenal game: Live stream, TV channel, line up, start time and details
Boasting a two-goal first-leg advantage and seeking to end their 70-year trophy drought,
Newcastle United lock horns with Arsenal under the lights at
St James’ Park for the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final on Wednesday night.
A place in the 64th EFL Cup final is up for grabs, with the winners of this
contest to take on either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium on March 16.
Match preview
After enjoying a club-record nine-match winning run in all competitions, Newcastle have since suffered two defeats in their last three Premier League matches, most recently losing 2-1 at home to Fulham last weekend.
Despite leading at the interval through Jacob Murphy, Newcastle lost their way in a second half when the Cottagers tremendously fought back to snatch maximum points, condemning the Magpies to successive home losses for the first time in a year; not since January/February 2021 have they suffered three straight home defeats.
Eddie Howe felt that his team were “nowhere near” themselves and he was left “very disappointing overall” as Newcastle missed an opportunity to climb back into the top four of the Premier League. They currently sit sixth and level on points with fifth-placed Manchester City, who they face in their next top-flight fixture in just over a weeks’ time.
Before that crunch match at the Etihad, Newcastle must dust themselves down and shift their focus back to the EFL Cup, as they endeavour to reach their second domestic cup final in three years and boost their hopes of winning their first major piece of silverware since lifting the 1955 FA Cup.
Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon were both on target as the Magpies produced a clinical display in last month’s 2-0 first-leg triumph at the Emirates, and Howe’s side will now be looking to win their fourth match in five against the Gunners in all competitions.
Arsenal has won five and drew one of their past six games across all competitions since losing the first leg against Newcastle and then falling to Manchester United on penalties in their FA Cup third-round match. They have also won each of their last four games by an overall score of 11-2.
After defeating Man City 2-1 at Girona last week, the Gunners easily advanced to the Champions League round of 16, and on Sunday, they humiliated the Premier League champions and increased their small chances of winning the championship by crushing them 5-1 at the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta has urged his players to not get too carried away with their “very special” triumph over Man City, as they still sit second in the top-flight standings and six points behind leaders Liverpool who have a game in hand. Indeed, the prospect of coming up short for a third straight season is frustratingly still on the cards for Gunners supporters.
Success in the EFL Cup is now on the agenda for Arsenal who, to the surprise of many, have only won the competition twice in their history and last had their hands on the trophy back in 1993. The Gunners are competing in the last four for only the third time in the last 14 years, reaching the final on just two of those occasions.
In order to reach the showpiece event next month, Arsenal will need to win at Newcastle by at least three goals for the first time since October 2010 (4-0 in EFL Cup fourth round). A run of six wins in their last eight away matches across all tournaments bodes well for the Gunners, who have won by at least three goals on three of those occasions.
Newcastle United EFL Cup form:
WWWWW
Newcastle United form (all competitions):
WWWLWL
Arsenal EFL Cup form:
WWWL
Arsenal form (all competitions):
WDWWWW
Leave a Reply