Newcastle United on the Brink of League Cup Final After Crucial Victory at Arsenal"

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe urged caution following his team's 2-0 victory against Arsenal on Tuesday, bringing them closer to a spot in the League Cup final.

Goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon on either side of halftime secured Newcastle's seventh consecutive win across all competitions and positioned them favorably for the second leg at St. James' Park in February.

Historically, teams that have held a two-goal advantage from the first leg have reached the final in all eight instances since the 1987-88 season. Arsenal faces a significant challenge if they hope to achieve their third League Cup victory.

Howe previously led Newcastle to the League Cup final in 2023, where they fell short of claiming their first trophy since 1955, losing to Manchester United at Wembley.

While the jubilant Toon Army celebrated at the final whistle, Howe emphasized that there is still much work to be done to secure a final against either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur.

"Today marks another important step forward, especially considering our recent performances away from home," Howe told Sky Sports after their seventh straight win. "We played with great confidence and belief, but the tie is still very much alive and finely balanced. We have a challenging home leg ahead."

Howe acknowledged that his team showed signs of fatigue in the second half as Arsenal pushed for a comeback, but expressed pride in his players' defensive efforts.

"There was a lot of fatigue in the second half," he said. "We started strong but then began to tire, and it became about our mentality to defend. We understood what was at stake, and the players gave their all."分享