Newcastle United have booked their place in the Carabao Cup final after thrashing Arsenal, moving closer to ending their 56-year wait for a major trophy.
Holding a 2-0 advantage from the first leg, Eddie Howe’s side sealed the tie with a 2-0 victory at St. James’ Park, setting up a final clash against either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley.
Newcastle started strongly, with Alexander Isak having a goal ruled out for offside before Jacob Murphy opened the scoring in the 19th minute, capitalizing on a rebound after Isak’s shot hit the post.
Arsenal’s best chance came just moments earlier when Martin Ødegaard struck the post with only Martin Dúbravka to beat.
The decisive moment arrived in the 52nd minute when Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya lost possession under pressure, allowing Anthony Gordon to slot home and seal Newcastle’s place in the final.
Despite recent league setbacks and the absence of Joelinton due to injury, Newcastle controlled the game and never looked in danger of losing their grip on the tie.
The victory marks a chance for redemption after their 2023 EFL Cup final loss to Manchester United, as they now aim for their first domestic title since the 1955 FA Cup.
For Arsenal, the defeat was a major setback after their dominant 5-1 win over Manchester City days earlier.
The Gunners struggled to match Newcastle’s intensity over both legs and must now shift focus back to their Premier League and Champions League campaigns.