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Newcastle United vs. Arsenal: EFL Match Preview, Odds & Prediction
Newcastle United will face Arsenal under the lights at St. James' Park on Wednesday night for the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final. The home team has a two-goal lead from the first leg and is looking to break its 70-year trophy drought.
The 64th English Football League Cup final will be held on March 16 at Wembley Stadium. The winner will face either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur.
Previous Matches and Head-to-head
Following a club-record nine-match winning streak across all competitions, Newcastle have lost two of their past three Premier League matches, including last weekend's 2-1 home loss to Fulham.
The Magpies have not lost three in a row at home since January/February 2021, even though they were ahead at halftime thanks to Jacob Murphy. The Cottagers came storming back in the second half to steal all three points, sending Newcastle reeling.
Eddie Howe was "very disappointed overall" because his Newcastle squad was "nowhere near" itself. They blew a chance to reclaim a Premier League playoff spot. Just over a week before their next Premier League match, they will play fifth-place Manchester City, with whom they are now tied on points.
Newcastle must pick themselves up and return their attention to the English Football League Cup before that crucial meeting at the Etihad. They are aiming to make it to the final for the second time in three years and win their first major trophy since the FA Cup in 1955.
Last month, the Magpies won the first leg 2-0 at the Emirates thanks to Alexander Isak's and Anthony Gordon's goals. Howe's team will aim to win their fourth match in a row against the Gunners across all competitions.
Arsenal have gone on a five-game winning streak in all competitions since their first-leg losses to Newcastle and Manchester United in the FA Cup third round were decided on penalties. In their last four games, Arsenal has amassed an aggregate score of 11-2.
The Gunners advanced to the round of 16 in the Champions League with a 2-1 victory over Girona last week. Then, on Sunday, they stunned Premier League winners Man City with a 5-1 thrashing at the Emirates Stadium, bolstering their tenuous championship aspirations.
Despite their "very special" victory against Man City, Mikel Arteta has cautioned his team not to become cocky since they are still in second place in the Premier League, six points behind leaders Liverpool (who play a game more). Unfortunately, Gunners fans still face the dissatisfying possibility of losing for a third consecutive season.
Arsenal, who have only won the EFL Cup twice and last held it in 1993, are now targeting success. This fact has surprised many. Only twice in the last fourteen years have the Gunners made it to the final four, and this is their third appearance in the last four overall.
For Arsenal to advance to next month's championship match, they must defeat Newcastle by a score of three goals or more, which has not been achieved since October 2010 (a 4-0 victory in the fourth round of the English Football League). The Gunners have won their previous eight away matches in all competitions, and their recent streak of six victories is encouraging. On three occasions, they have won by a minimum of three goals.
Newcastle United x Arsenal Team News
After missing almost eight weeks with a hamstring issue, Callum Wilson has a remote possibility of making it back to the matchday squad. However, Newcastle is still dealing with the injury absences of Harvey Barnes (muscle) and Jamaal Lascelles (ACL).
Since returning from an 11-match layoff due to a knee injury, Nick Pope has been a substitute in the past two games. Howe must now decide whether to start Martin Dubravka in goal or bring back his first-choice goalkeeper.
Ex-Gunners midfielder Joe Willock will be vying for a starting spot ahead of Joelinton and Sandro Tonali. Bruno Guimaraes, who missed the first leg due to suspension, is expected to start. Howe will also consider bringing back Sven Botman for defense instead of Fabian Schar or Dan Burn.
Despite Ben White's near-return from a long-term knee injury—this match may be too soon for the defender—Arsenal is still without three key players due to injury: Gabriel Jesus (ACL), Bukayo Saka (hamstring), and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee).
The Gunners' Spanish goalkeeper David Raya will likely hold his starting position ahead of Neto after he recovered enough to play a full 90 minutes in Sunday's victory against Manchester City.
Ethan Nwaneri, who has scored three EFL Cup goals this season, will be aiming to make it into the starting lineup before Gabriel Martinelli or Leandro Trossard, while Myles Lewis-Skelly, who impressed at left back last weekend and scored his first senior goal, will be hoping to keep his starting spot ahead of Riccardo Calafiori.
Our Predictions
Arsenal to win @ 2.21 on Sky247.ng
Newcastle's slump couldn't have come at a better moment for an Arsenal team riding high following their historic victory over Manchester City last weekend. Although many teams find St. James' Park intimidating, Wednesday's match should be good for the Gunners.
Nevertheless, it is still unclear whether Arteta's squad will get the three-goal victory they need against a Magpies team that will surely annoy the visitors. The Magpies might lose the match but still advance on aggregate.
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