January 7. 10 p.m. London. Emirates Stadium
EFL Cup. Semi-final. Everything
Arsenal (London) vs Newcastle
Suspended: Bruno Guimarães, Fabian Schär (both – Newcastle)
Injured: Kai Havertz (doubtful), Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White, Raheem Sterling, Bukayo Saka, Ethan Nwaneri – Emil Krafth, Callum Wilson, Nick Pope, Jamaal Lascelles
Arsenal vs Newcastle: Bookmakers Odds
The paths of Arsenal and Newcastle cross again in the EFL Cup. In their last four meetings in this tournament, the Gunners have triumphed with a remarkable aggregate score of 12-0. However, the last time these two sides met was in October 2010. Additionally, the Londoners have not enjoyed significant success in the EFL Cup for some time, with their last title dating back to 1993. In their previous seven semis -finals, Arsenal have never won the first leg (4 draws, 3 defeats).
On the other hand, Newcastle have never won the EFL Cup and have reached the semi-finals for only the third time in their history. On the previous two occasions, the Magpies managed to qualify for the final: in 1976, they beat Tottenham, and in 2023, they overcame Southampton.
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta’s side had a relatively uneventful journey to the semi-finals. In the early stages, the Gunners easily eliminated Bolton (5-1) and Preston (3-0). The real challenge came in the quarter-final against a determined Crystal Palace, where an unexpected hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus led Arsenal to a 3-2 victory.
The victory sparked a run of success in the Premier League, allowing Arsenal to regain second place in the table. However, days before the EFL Cup semi-final, the Gunners stumbled again, drawing 1-1 away to Brighton. Mikel Arteta was particularly disappointed not by the points lost, but by his players’ reaction to Brighton’s equalizer. The Londoners displayed an unusually poor offensive performance. To make matters worse, Arsenal lost another attacking player to injury – Ethan Nwaneri, who had performed well in Bukayo Saka’s absence.
Newcastle
Newcastle, eyeing the EFL Cup as a big opportunity to end their long trophy drought, head into their first semi-final in perhaps their best form. Last weekend, the Magpies secured a 2-1 away win over Tottenham, extending their Premier League winning streak to five matches. This impressive run brought the team within one point of the Champions League zone.
The decisive goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was scored by Alexander Isak. The striker’s high finishing efficiency has been one of the key driving forces behind Newcastle’s success. He became only the third player in the club’s history, after Joe Willock (2021) and Alan Shearer (1996), to score in seven consecutive matches. In total, the 25-year-old striker has scored 14 goals and provided 4 assists this season. There is no doubt that Isak will be looking to score against Arsenal – a team who are said to have strong interest in acquiring him in the winter transfer window. In fact, Isak has already scored against the Gunners this season in a home win for the Magpies in the Premier League (1-0).
Arsenal vs Newcastle: Predicted Lineups
Arsenal vs Newcastle: Author’s Prediction
Newcastle have lost 12 of their last 13 away matches against Arsenal in all competitions (one ended in a draw). Given the Magpies’ current form, I think Eddie Howe’s side have a good chance of ending their losing streak at the Emirates. However, I’m going to go for a more conservative prediction. My choice – both teams will score.
