Newcastle Beat Out Arsenal to Reach EFL Cup Fina

Newcastle United secured their place in the Carabao Cup final with a dominant 4-0 aggregate win over Arsenal on Wednesday night, 5 February, moving one step closer to ending their 56-year wait for a major trophy.

Holding a 2-0 first-leg advantage, Eddie Howe’s men sealed the victory with Jacob Murphy’s early rebound and Anthony Gordon’s second-half strike in front of a raucous St James’ Park crowd in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

The 47-year-old English manager, determined to improve on Newcastle’s 2023 final defeat to Manchester United, credited several tactical adjustments for nullifying Arsenal. A switch to a back five, for example, helped stifle Mikel Arteta’s side, which struggled to break through Newcastle’s disciplined defense.

The Gunners’ best chance for a goal came when Martin Odegaard hit the post early on, but their hosts’ relentless intensity proved too much for creating further opportunities.

As the Toon Army celebrated long into the night, Howe emphasised learning from past heartbreaks: “We are here on merit. Our run has not been easy this year, so we’ve done the hard yards.”

With one more victory, Newcastle could finally lift long-awaited silverware. Until then, the Magpies will travel to Wembley, where they will face either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur on 16 March.

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