EFL Cup | Semi-Finals | 1st Leg

Jan 7, 2025 at 8pm UK

Emirates Stadium

Arsenal vs Newcastle

Match preview

Arsenal's headers in opposition boxes have proved devastating all season, but the Gunners were left to rue a bizarre incident in their own box at the Amex Stadium as Brighton inflicted the latest blow to their faltering Premier League title bid.

After 17-year-old phenom Ethan Nwaneri had opened the scoring in the first half - writing a new chapter in Arsenal history in the process - William Saliba was booked for a 'headbutt' on Brighton striker Joao Pedro, who then sent David Raya the wrong way from the spot.

While Arteta and Fabian Hurzeler unsurprisingly had different views on the penalty incident, both camps would have agreed that Brighton looked the more likely to score again as the second half wore on, and the Gunners could soon find themselves 11 points behind Liverpool if the Reds win their two outstanding games.

As depressing as Saturday's draw was, the stalemate can be seen in a positive light as the Gunners have now gone 13 games unbeaten in all competitions, a run that includes a Gabriel Jesus-inspired 3-2 win over Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup last round.

The Gunners, who are still chasing their first League Cup success since 1993, have not lost a home game in any competition this season and have reached the final in two of their last three EFL Cup semi-finals.

While Arsenal's record in the League Cup is modest, Newcastle have yet to conquer the competition and are on the verge of going 70 years without a major trophy, unless you count the Intertoto Cup of 2005-06.

It's not that Howe's men haven't tried since their big-money takeover - they fell to Manchester United's superiority in the 2022-23 final of this tournament - but the time is surely ripe for the Magpies to mark this new era with a shiny piece of silverware.

Howe's men have had to overcome three Premier League sides to get this far - Nottingham Forest, Brentford and Chelsea, as well as AFC Wimbledon - and Tuesday's visitors couldn't have returned to north London with a bigger spring in their step.

Indeed, goals from Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak gave the Champions League hopefuls a 2-1 win at Spurs on Saturday lunchtime, their sixth win in all competitions and the eighth game in a row in which they have scored at least twice.

Picking on north London teams has quickly become Newcastle's favourite pastime, as the Magpies also beat Arsenal 1-0 at St James' Park in their first Premier League game of the season, but not since 2010 have they rocked up to the Emirates and left as winners.

Recent Performance

Arsenal EFL Cup form:WWW

Arsenal form (all competitions):DWWWWD

Newcastle United EFL Cup form:WWWW

Newcastle United form (all competitions):WWWWWW

Team News

There was little concern when Arteta withdrew top scorer Nwaneri at half-time in the draw at Brighton - many assumed it was a consequence of his late booking for wasting time - but the Arsenal boss then confirmed the "really bad" news at full-time that the 17-year-old had suffered a muscular injury.

Nwaneri has not been ruled out for the first leg, but the short turnaround makes him a serious doubt, while Kai Havertz also faces a race against time to prove his fitness after missing consecutive games through illness.

Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Raheem Sterling (knee), Ben White (knee) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) remain sidelined, although Sterling could be available for the FA Cup opener at Manchester United at the weekend and Jurrien Timber is back from a yellow card suspension.

While a key Arsenal man returns from suspension, Newcastle will be without two of their key cogs for the first leg, with Fabian Schar and Bruno Guimaraes serving competition-specific bans for picking up their second yellow cards of the EFL Cup season in the Brentford win.

Schar and Guimaraes - the former of whom also received a Premier League ban at the weekend - join Emil Krafth (shoulder), Nick Pope (knee), Callum Wilson (thigh) and Jamaal Lascelles (knee) on the list of absentees, although Sven Botman's forced substitution in the Spurs win was thought to be due to cramp.

However, it would be surprising to see the Dutchman start in consecutive games so soon after his return from an ACL injury, so Lloyd Kelly could fill the void left by Schar, while Sean Longstaff and former Gunner Joe Willock will battle it out for Guimaraes' place.

Possible starting lineup

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