Arsenal v Newcastle, Getty Images 07 January 2025, 23:57

Christmas is behind us, Boxing day is behind us, New Year is behind us, but the end of the season in English football is not even a step closer to us. However, this is not the case in all three major domestic tournaments of this country. In the League Cup, we have already reached the semi-final stage, which traditionally consists of two matches, even if in a busy calendar the coaches only do what they complain about such a format of the tournament.

On the other hand, VAR finally got involved during the confrontations, which was very appropriate given the degree of tension they promised to get, based on their own posters. The match between London Arsenal and Newcastle, the first part of which was supposed to take place at the Emirates – what is not an interesting reason to spend a Tuesday evening?

Despite the fans’ traditionally disapproving opinion of the League Cup, the coaches of both teams were not going to make any concessions to each other, so they fielded the main squads in the context that was achievable for them. This helped to preserve the approaches of both teams to the construction of the game, so the Gunners on the right of the hosts tried to press, and the Magpies fought back with a special emphasis on counterattacks.

It can be said that Eddie Gau’s wards managed to dry up the game of Mikel Arteta’s team. Arsenal did not use their trademark standards properly, limiting themselves to a brilliant strike on the post from Martinelli on the counterattack midway through the first half. And then the well-known football saying worked and the Gunners conceded. Also from the standard, which to some extent was even a little offensive for them.

Dubravka took a free kick from his own half, Botman headed over in front of someone else’s possession, and Murphy left Isaka for a shot from close range. Nicolas Jove took off his hat, or at least his cap, if he took it for this game. And the second half had just begun, and Arsenal ran again to try to win back, as the “magpies” built a counterattack, and if Issak Rai’s shot went wide this time, then he had no chance to repel Gordon’s finish.

Substitutions from Arteta immediately came and somewhere at the end of their sequence they even let Oleksandr Zinchenko play, but the visa was still there. Arsenal did not create constant tension near other people’s possessions, and those isolated opportunities that arose remained unrealized. So the Ukrainian distinguished himself only with an earned warning immediately after appearing on the field, and the guests calmly defended their advantage before the return match. By the way, he is on February 5.

Arsenal — Newcastle 0:2
Goals: Isaac, 37, Gordon, 51

Arsenal: Raya – Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly (Zinchenko, 78) – Edegore, Parti (Jorginho, 59), Rice – Trossard (Jesus, 59), Havertz, Martinelli.

Newcastle: Dubravka – Livramento, Botman, Burn, Hall – Willock (Kelly, 65), Tonali, Joelinton – J. Murphy (Longstaff, 65), Isaac (Barnes, 65), Gordon.

Warning: Zinchenko — Joelinton, Gordon, Livramento