Newcastle are headed back to the League Cup final for the second time in three years after Eddie Howe’s side not only protected their 2-0 first-leg advantage over Arsenal, but added to it with another 2-0 victory on Wednesday.
MORE - Liverpool vs Tottenham, semifinal no. 2 | League Cup winners list
The Magpies deployed and executed the same general game plan that served them so well against the Gunners last month, though Eddie Howe instead opted for a back-three and two wing backs with the lead in hand. The game played out nearly identical to the first leg, as Newcastle soaked up pressure defensively (with a well-timed high press mixed in) and quickly launched counter-attacks going the other way. Central to their ability to play that way is star striker Alexander Isak, who does the work of two (or three) players in the open field and once again made Arsenal’s defense (2nd-best in the Premier League - 22 goals conceded in 24 games) look tired and overmatched.
Jacob Murphy opened the scoring in the 19th minute and Anthony Gordon added the exclamation point early in the second half. Newcastle will face either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur in the final at Wembley Stadium on March 16. Spurs hold a slim 1-0 advantage from the first leg ahead of their trip to Anfield on Thursday (3 pm ET).
Newcastle were beaten 2-0 by Manchester United in the 2022-23 League Cup final.
Isak’s price tag just keeps going up & up & up
If Newcastle’s asking price was (reportedly) $190 million last month, then it might be $250 million by the time we get to the summer if Isak keeps this up. He hasn’t just produced at a fantastic clip this season (19 goals, 5 assists in 27 games across all competitions), but 10 of the 19 goals came against Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest. He consistently shows up (and does something spectacular) in Newcastle’s biggest games. There was his opening goal (ruled out for offside) just 4 minutes in — when Isak leathered the ball into the upper-90 from an inconceivable angle and distance — and then there was his touch to win the ball out of the air before firing another shot off the post. Murphy turned that one home for the actual opener and it felt borderline criminal that Isak didn’t at least get an assist for his part in it. Not to turn this into an Isak infomercial here, but he’s also an incredibly hard worker that you don’t have to take off the field when to defend a lead. At the age of 25, there’s not a missing part to his game, so it’s no wonder every club in the world wants a piece of him. At the same time, it has also become clear he can compete (and perhaps win) some stuff at Newcastle, too. Everyone automatically assumes that he will leave because clubs are interested, but what if Isak simply doesn’t want to, and so he doesn’t? Wouldn’t that be cool?
Player ratings - Newcastle vs Arsenal
What’s next?
- Birmingham vs Newcastle - Saturday, 12:45 pm ET (FA Cup)
- Leicester vs Arsenal - Saturday, Feb. 15, 7:30 am ET (Premier League)
- Arsenal vs West Ham - Saturday, Feb. 22, 10 am ET (Premier League)
- Manchester City vs Newcastle - Saturday, Feb. 23, 9 am ET (Premier League)
Newcastle vs Arsenal live updates - by Andy Edwards
Newcastle vs Arsenal final score: 2-0 (4-0 agg.)
Goalscorers: Jacob Murphy (19'), Anthony Gordon (52')
GOAL! Newcastle 2-0 (4-0 agg.) Arsenal: Gordon capitalizes on Raya’s bad pass (52')
Anthony Gordon pounces on Arsenal's error, putting Newcastle 4-0 up on aggregate 🔥 pic.twitter.com/vyxmo7A0pq
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 5, 2025
INJURY! Gabriel Martinelli hobbles off with apparent hamstring injury (37')
Brutal timing for Arsenal, who stood pat during the January transfer window and are already without Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus due to long-term injuries.
GOAL! Newcastle 1-0 (3-0 agg.) Arsenal: Murphy puts Isak’s rebound back (19')
JACOB MURPHY PUTS NEWCASTLE 3-0 UP ON AGGREGATE AGAINST ARSENAL 🥵 pic.twitter.com/mk0WtLE1is
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 5, 2025
OFFSIDE! Alexander Isak’s sensational opener ruled out (4')
An outrageous finish. A cold celebration. Unfortunately for Alexander Isak it was called offside ❌ pic.twitter.com/9iutldNkYL
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 5, 2025
Newcastle starting lineup
Dubravka - Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Hall - Murphy, Tonali, Guimaraes, Gordon - Isak
Arsenal starting lineup
Raya - Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly - Partey, Rice, Odegaard - Martinelli, Trossard, Havertz
How to watch vs live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 3pm ET Wednesday (February 5)
Venue: St James’ Park — Newcastle
TV/Streaming: Paramount+
Eddie Howe’s side leads 2-0 after an impressive display in the first leg at Arsenal but after two-straight home defeats to Bournemouth and Fulham, all of a sudden St James’ Park isn’t looking like the fortress it usually is. Still, Alexander Isak continues to deliver the goods and it feels like the Magpies will rise to the occasion in front of their incredible fans to book their spot in the League Cup final for the second time in three seasons.
Arsenal have struggled at Newcastle in recent years but coming off the back of their 5-1 hammering of Manchester City on Sunday, Mikel Arteta’s side will be full of confidence. Arsenal are 14 games unbeaten in the Premier League, easily made it through to the last 16 of the Champions League and you wouldn’t bet against them to score early at Newcastle and make this one heck of a semifinal second leg.
What are the chances Arsenal pull off this comeback?
If you ask Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli, pretty high.
“We know our qualities. It is not because we lost 2-0 here in the last game, we are going to go there just to play now. We are going to go there to win the game and to score three, four, five,” Martinelli said. “Let’s see, the game is going to be really hard, for sure. But we are going to try our best to win the game.”
But the Brazilian winger is expecting quite the battle and acknowledged how hard playing away at Newcastle has been for Arsenal in the past.
“It is going to be another battle there. We know how difficult it is to play there,” Martinelli added. “But, as I said, we have an amazing team and we trust ourselves. We are going to go there to win the game. It is hard to play there. They are a really good side, but we have full confidence in our squad and we trust ourselves.”
Newcastle team news
OUT: Harvey Barnes (thigh), Jamaal Lascelles (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Callum Wilson (thigh), Joelinton (knee)
Arsenal team news
OUT: Gabriel Jesus (knee), Bukayo Saka (hamstring - MORE), Ben White (knee), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee)
Newcastle vs Arsenal prediction
Hold on to your hats because this is going to be wild. Expect Arsenal to score early but Newcastle will come roaring back. Extra time and penalty kicks seems very possible. Newcastle 1-3 Arsenal (Arsenal to win on penalties).
