Newcastle one step closer to Wembley
Arsenal 0 - 2 Newcastle United
Alexander Isak’s impressive goalscoring streak continued as Newcastle United claimed a commanding first-leg victory over Arsenal in their Carabao Cup semi-final at the Emirates Stadium.
The Magpies, who have never lifted the trophy, are now well-placed to reach their second final in three seasons. They’ll secure their spot at Wembley if they avoid defeat or lose by just one goal in the return leg at St James’ Park on 5 February.
Arsenal, currently second in the Premier League, went into the tie as favourites but face an uphill battle in the second leg after a disappointing performance.
Isak, in sensational form, scored his 14th goal in 15 games to set Newcastle on course for a seventh consecutive win. Goalkeeper Martin Dubravka launched a long free-kick forward, which Sven Botman flicked on. Jacob Murphy then teed up Isak, who showed great composure to lift his finish past David Raya.
Anthony Gordon extended Newcastle’s advantage early in the second half, slotting home after Raya could only parry a powerful effort from Isak.
Arsenal had their chances, with Gabriel Martinelli striking the post while the game was still goalless. Jurrien Timber and William Saliba also missed opportunities from close-range headers, leaving the Gunners with plenty to ponder ahead of the decisive second leg.
Arsenal v Newcastle EFL Cup semi-final first leg Highlights here - youtu.be/W98QbxYN0XI?... More reaction to come - eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com
— European Super Football (@superfootball.bsky.social) 8 January 2025 at 14:29
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Are Arsenal about to fall short again?
Arteta and Arsenal have not won a trophy since the FA Cup triumph in 2020. The EFL Cup might be down their list of priorities but reaching this final would have been another important milestone for The Gunners. We caught up with some of their fans after the match talking about their performance and what it might mean for the rest of the season.
Paul said: "That was a decent game. On another day, we could have had a few goals but unfortunately, the players didn't take any of their many chances."
Vincent Thompson was less positive. He said: "I'm feeling frustrated once again. We should be going all out in every match, especially during one-off cup competitions. We really need to win a trophy. Even Manchester United, for all their problems, have managed to win two trophies.
"In the last two or three games, it has felt like the opposition wanted it more than we did at times. Losing Saka has been tough, but there’s still plenty of quality in the team to make a difference. There’s no excuse for our performance, even if they don’t bring in any new players this month."
