[Pre-Match Thread] Newcastle (2) – Arsenal (0) | 5th February 2025 | EFL Cup
🕟 Kick Off: 20:00 GMT
📍 Location: St. James’ Park, Newcastle Upon Tyne
📺 UK Broadcaster: Sky Sports
🙎🏻♂️ Referee: Simon Hooper
🔴 Arsenal Team News:
- Ben White (knee) is recovering from surgery and has returned to on-grass training.
- Jesus has torn his ACL and will be out for up to a year.
- Saka (hamstring) is recovering from surgery and will be out for the next few months.
- Tomiyasu (knee) is an enigma and we haven’t received an update on him for weeks.
⚽ Arsenal Form: 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟧
🇸🇦 Newcastle Team News:
- Barnes is absent with a thigh injury.
- Joelinton will miss the game with a knee injury.
- Wilson (hamstring) and Lascelles (ACL) miss this game.
⚽ Newcastle Form: 🟥🟩🟥🟩🟩
⚔️ Head-to-Head:
- Arsenal 0-2 Newcastle (7th Jan 2025, EFL Cup Semi Final)
- Newcastle 1-0 Arsenal (2nd Nov 2024, Premier League)
- Arsenal 4-1 Newcastle (24th Feb 2024, Premier League)
- Newcastle 1-0 Arsenal (4th Nov 2023, Premier League)
- Newcastle 0-2 Arsenal (7th May 2023, Premier League)
📖 Match Facts:
- The last time a team lost in the first leg of the semi final at home and go on to win the competition was Arsenal in 1987 where they overcame a deficit against Spurs.
- Arsenal will need to score 2 goals to level the score, with the away goals rule being scrapped in the EFL Cup back in 18/19.
- Arsenal haven’t scored more than 2 goals at St. James’ Park since the infamous 4-4 draw in February 2011.
- Newcastle have never won the competition, Arsenal have won it twice with their last lifting of the trophy coming in 1992/93.
🎲 Odds (to qualify):
- Newcastle – 1/7
- Arsenal – 9/2
✍🏼 Pre-Match Ramblings
After a quiet deadline day at Arsenal we head up North to try to overcome a two goal deficit to see us through to the final to face either Liverpool or Tottenham. Difficult? Yep. Impossible? No way.
The thrashing Arsenal gave Man City at the weekend will have filled the group with confidence for their midweek game against Newcastle. Mix that with Newcastle’s recent 1-4 loss at home to Bournemouth, and there is definitely a chance we go through here.
Nwaneri returned to goalscoring form against City and has definitely played himself into contention for a start on the right wing for this game, he currently seems like our best option there in the absence of Saka. Left back will be interesting – will our big summer signing at LB continue to be relegated to the bench in favour of our 18 year old straight from Hale End? I would imagine MLS will be afforded a rest after putting in a huge shift against City.
Since Arteta took over Arsenal have visited SJP 5 times and have managed 2 wins and 3 losses. Only one of those wins was by a 2 goal margin. This will be a tight game and our record at the stadium will be on the minds of the players and the traveling supporters. Newcastle will likely look to defend their lead, which they do well, meaning the onus will be on Arsenal to go at them. An early goal is vital here, but an early goal from Newcastle could kill the game dead.