Arsenal vs Newcastle LIVE! Carabao Cup match stream, latest team news, lineups, TV, prediction today | OneFootball

Emirates Stadium hosts semi-final first-leg tie as Gunners look to bounce back against in-form visitors

George Flood|Simon Collings @sr_collings

Arsenal take on Newcastle in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie at the Emirates Stadium tonight. The Gunners have been beset by injury and illness as they look to quickly bounce back from Saturday’s frustrating draw at Brighton that saw them drop more points in the Premier League title race and halted a run of four consecutive wins across all competitions that included a Gabriel Jesus-inspired comeback win over Crystal Palace in the quarters.

Mikel Arteta has seen Ethan Nwaneri added to his lengthy absentee list, but will hope that Kai Havertz is ready to return for what is likely to be a significant test against one of the country’s most in-form teams in Newcastle. Eddie Howe’s side have turned an otherwise disappointing season around with six successive wins, reaching the last four of the Carabao Cup and catapulting themselves right into the Champions League qualification mix with Arsenal transfer target Alexander Isak scoring for fun.

However, the visitors are without a number of key players of their own in north London this evening, including suspended duo Fabian Schar and Bruno Guimaraes. Follow Arsenal vs Newcastle live below, with expert analysis from Simon Collings at the Emirates.

Live updates

54 seconds ago

Five Arsenal changes as Havertz and Sterling return

It’s five Arsenal changes from the side that drew against Brighton at the Amex on Saturday.

Kai Havertz is fit to start after illness and comes in to lead the attack with Gabriel Jesus dropping to the bench despite his crucial hat-trick in the quarter-finals.

Jurrien Timber returns from suspension at right-back to push Thomas Partey back into midfield, while Riccardo Calafiori makes way for young Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back.

Captain Martin Odegaard has shaken off illness to start in midfield, likewise Gabriel Martinelli further forward as Mikel Merino and Jorginho both go to the bench and the injured Ethan Nwaneri misses out.

Youngsters Ismeal Kabia and Nathan Butler-Oyedeji are omitted from the matchday squad with Raheem Sterling fit enough for the bench and Havertz back, though cup-tied back-up goalkeeper Neto is replaced by 16-year-old Jack Porter.

Action Images via Reuters

14 minutes ago

Newcastle lineup

Starting XI: Dubravka, Livramento, Botman, Burn, Hall, Willock, Tonali, Joelinton, Murphy, Isak, Gordon

Subs: Vlachodimos, Trippier, Barnes, Targett, Osula, Almiron, Kelly, Longstaff, Miley

15 minutes ago

Arsenal lineup

Starting XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Partey, Odegaard, Martinelli, Trossard, Havertz

Subs: Porter, Zinchenko, Tierney, Kiwior, Calafiori, Jorginho, Merino, Sterling, Jesus

31 minutes ago

Havertz looks set for Arsenal return

It is also worth noting that Kai Havertz’s shirt has been pictured hanging in the Arsenal dressing room ahead of tonight’s official team announcement, suggesting he is also back in another much-needed Arsenal fitness boost.

The former Chelsea star has missed the last two games against Brentford and Brighton due to illness.

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36 minutes ago

Sterling with Arsenal squad for semi-final clash

Raheem Sterling is with the Arsenal squad at the Emirates tonight, so it looks like he’s over that knee injury and will be involved in some capacity.

A timely fitness boost for the Gunners. Official lineups coming up very soon, stay tuned...

38 minutes ago

Arteta: Arsenal should expect to win trophies every season

With impressive Liverpool likely to prove so hard to catch in the Premier League title race this term, winning a cup trophy takes on extra significance for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta delivered the FA Cup in his first season in charge back in 2019/20, but since then had only won two Community Shields to go along with the transformation of his team into top-flight contenders.

And the Spaniard admitted this week that winning major silverware should be the expectation every year at Arsenal.

“Would I like it? For sure. Expected? I don’t know because we know the level of opposition that we have in games,” Arteta said.

“But as a club we have to expect to win and win every year, for sure.

“We work every single day to achieve that, to bring joy to our people and there is not a single moment that stands out more than when you have that cup and you are offering that cup to the supporters and you are sharing it with the people you work with every day.

“It’s the icing on the cake. They are memories that stick in your mind and hopefully we can create many more.”

AFP via Getty Images

44 minutes ago

Arsenal face pivotal January fixture run

Tonight is part of a hugely pivotal fixture run for Arsenal, who have nine games in 29 days this month - the next five of which are all on home soil.

They also host Manchester United in a blockbuster FA Cup third-round tie on Sunday, before the small matter of a north London derby against Tottenham and visit from Aston Villa in the Premier League.

A trip to improving Wolves then sandwiches their last remaining pair of Champions League league phase ties against Dinamo Zagreb and Girona, before February begins with Manchester City coming to town and then the Carabao Cup semi-final second-leg showdown with Newcastle on Tyneside.

It is an absolutely massive month or so coming up that will surely define their season, for better or worse.

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

59 minutes ago

How Arsenal solve a problem like in-form Isak

Alexander Isak - a rumoured long-time transfer target of Arsenal’s - could not be in better form ahead of this game, having now scored in seven successive top-flight contests in a remarkable feat only previously achieved for Newcastle by Alan Shearer and Joe Willock in the Premier League era.

The Swedish forward - whose goal downed Arsenal in a 1-0 win at St James’ Park in the Premier League back in early November - got the winner against Tottenham on Saturday and has now netted nine times in his last eight appearances, notching 14 in 21 in total across all competitions so far this term.

How do Arsenal go about stopping such an in-form striker?

“He’s a top player in top form scoring a lot of goals and we try to minimise the strength of the opposition,” Mikel Arteta said on Monday.

“That’s a big part of the plan when we’re playing any opponent.”

Action Images via Reuters

1 hour ago

Calm before the storm at the Emirates

Standard Sport’s Simon Collings is in position for what should be a momentous night in north London...

1 hour ago

Will Arsenal make new signings amid injury setbacks?

So could that latest injury setback to Ethan Nwaneri force Arsenal into the transfer market this month with Bukayo Saka already on the sidelines?

Mikel Arteta’s view on new signings in January appears to remain unaltered as things stand.

“That hasn’t changed - again the focus is our players,” he said yesterday.

“Whatever is in the market, we’re very alert, but the priority is working with the players that we have at the moment and tomorrow night, which is a big night for us.

“It’s not a yes, it’s not a no!”

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

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