No excuses now. No second chances.
Arsenal trail 2-0 heading into the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Newcastle. St James’ Park will be deafening.
And Mikel Arteta knows what’s at stake—silverware, belief, and the momentum of a young squad still learning to suffer.
The Emirates first leg was wasteful. Arsenal had chances, plenty. But Isak and Gordon punished them with two surgical blows. Now, it’s uphill. And cold. And hostile.
Still, Arteta hasn’t blinked.
As reported by Football Talk – He names the same starting eleven that dismantled Manchester City 5–1 last weekend. David Raya keeps goal.
Jurrien Timber starts again at right-back. William Saliba and Gabriel form a familiar central core, with teenage revelation Myles Lewis-Skelly on the left—calm beyond his years.
Thomas Partey holds the midfield. Declan Rice and captain Martin Ødegaard, outstanding against City, complete the engine room.
Up front, no new striker arrived before the deadline. So it’s Kai Havertz once more—overworked, but necessary.
Martinelli and Trossard flank him. No starting place for Ethan Nwaneri, despite his wonder goal off the bench on Sunday. Tonight, he waits.
It’s a gamble. But then again, Arsenal always do it the hard way.
Newcastle are firm. Trippier returns to marshal a five-man defence. Botman, Schär, Burn—all tall, all experienced.
Tonali and Guimarães control the centre. Gordon and Murphy stretch wide, while Isak—ice cold—waits for another moment to pounce.
The mission is clear: score early, score twice, and don’t blink.
There’s history on the line. Arsenal haven’t lifted the League Cup since 1993. A generation has passed.
Tonight, it’s about rewriting something.
For a club desperate to feel like winners again.