Newcastle United stand on the brink of history, 90 minutes away from ending their 70-year wait. Without a domestic trophy since 1955, 2025 may be their year. Wembley beckons and perhaps the club lamenting a lack of major silverware will instead be Arsenal. Unless they win either the Premier or the Champions League, Mikel Arteta’s side will bring up five years without a prize beyond the Community Shield.
It is not a drought by Newcastle’s standards but after the euphoria of Sunday’s demolition of Manchester City came a damaging night on Tyneside for Arsenal. They ended up overwhelmed by Newcastle’s relentless running, overcome by goals from two wingers, Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon, overpowered by a striker, in Alexander Isak, who they had coveted and who now serves as their tormentor. Arsenal’s winter transfer window ended without a signing, to their regret. Newcastle were as inactive but had further proof of Eddie Howe’s ability to galvanise them on a night when St James’ Park felt electrifying and United irrepressible. They played at a ferocious pace, with a hunger that showed them at their best.
A club who had not played in a final in this millennium have now reached two in three seasons. It leaves Howe one victory from accomplishing something even Kevin Keegan and Bobby Robson could not on Tyneside. Wembley has loomed large on Newcastle’s horizon for a month and the temptation is to say the hard work was done at the Emirates Stadium. That is not entirely true because, vital as that 2-0 win was, Newcastle required plenty more sweat and toil. They supplied both, in copious quantities.
Emphatic as the aggregate score was, Arsenal can reflect on the sliding-doors seconds. In a minute where the woodwork was struck at either end, Newcastle could have been behind on the night and then had a 3-0 advantage over the two legs. Martin Odegaard fizzed an effort against the outside of the United post. Then Isak and Gordon executed a one-two of sorts, the Englishman sending the Swede clear. He lashed a shot against the post. Following up, there was Murphy, the unheralded underdog who has been the surprise start of Newcastle’s season, to finish adeptly.
Newcastle’s previous Carabao Cup semi-final win at St James’ Park, two years earlier, came courtesy of a brace by Sean Longstaff, a United fan. Two years on, Murphy, a Newcastle supporter from further afield, found the net. Even in these days of Saudi ownership, Newcastle can draw inspiration from their own.
A right winger has seemed to figure high on Newcastle’s wish-list. Murphy’s renaissance has meant they have had one of the most productive around. Normally he is Isak’s supplier. This time, via the woodwork, it was the other way around. Isak had the ball in the net earlier, again following a defence-splitting pass from Gordon. The most forceful of finishes was chalked off for the most marginal of offsides.
Isak had scored in each of Newcastle’s two previous wins against Arsenal this season. This time, his support acts provided the finishes. United’s passage was secured by an error from David Raya, trying to pick out Declan Rice, allowing Fabian Schar to slide in and set up Gordon. So often a big-game scorer, he has struck against City, Liverpool, Tottenham and Aston Villa this season, plus in both legs of this semi-final.
Howe had given his side a different platform to attack. He picked five at the back for the first time this season; if it was because Joelinton was injured, it also had the benefit of giving Newcastle three central defenders to combat Arsenal’s set-pieces. At the heart of the reinforced rearguard, Sven Botman was outstanding. Alongside him, Dan Burn was commitment personified, telescopic legs sliding into challenges. Ahead of them, Newcastle set out to hassle and harry, Sandro Tonali seemingly forever sprinting somewhere, Gordon tearing into Arsenal with predictable relish.
Ultimately, they could not cope. Theirs was always a huge task. Only Aston Villa in 1994 had overturned a two-goal first-leg deficit to reach the League Cup final. Arsenal were undermined because they lacked the attacking incision Newcastle possessed, the creativity they needed and the strength in depth they ought to have. They had a spell in the first half when Martin Dubravka made a fine save from Leandro Trossard but, for a third time this season, they drew a blank against Newcastle. It left the 5-1 against City looking more of an anomaly.
And, with questions if they require more firepower, with no attacking additions, their resources were further depleted when Gabriel Martinelli limped off before half-time. Arteta seemed to raise the white flag after an hour, removing Odegaard, even though his side don’t play again for 10 days. Meanwhile, Newcastle’s fixture list is getting more crowded. Because they now have a date at Wembley.
