Newcastle boss Eddie Howe celebrated his team’s impressive 2-0 victory over Arsenal at a raucous St James’ Park on Wednesday. A win that saw the Magpies secure a 4-0 aggregate lead and book their spot in the League Cup final for the second time in three seasons.
Speaking after the match, Eddie Howe praised the performance, noting that Jacob Murphy’s opener in the first half and Anthony Gordon’s goal after the break were key to the win.
“It is huge. Our first appearance at Wembley was unexpected, but now we’re here on merit because we’ve worked hard all season,” he said. “We hope to learn from that previous loss and perform even better at Wembley.”
Eddie Howe revealed that tactical adjustments were vital, explaining that a switch to a back five helped nullify Arsenal’s set-piece threats. “We had to be ourselves. If we weren’t, we’d have been on the back foot. We tweaked our system to add height and solidity, and the players executed perfectly,” he added.
For Newcastle’s Eddie Howe, this triumph comes on the heels of their first-leg win at Arsenal in January. The Magpies, chasing their first major trophy since winning the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 56 years ago, and their last domestic title in the 1955 FA Cup, are now set to face either Liverpool or Tottenham in the final on March 16.
Tottenham will be defending their 1-0 first-leg lead at Anfield, with the opponent to be confirmed later this week.
Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted that his side lacked the efficiency required in key moments, a factor that ultimately cost them not only this tie but also dented their hopes following a 5-1 win over Manchester City last Sunday.
“We had momentum early but couldn’t capitalize. Their efficiency in the box made the difference today,” Arteta said. He added that his team will regroup during a training camp in Dubai before returning for their next match against Leicester on February 15.
As Newcastle revel in their win, Howe remains focused on drawing lessons from past disappointments to fuel his team’s pursuit of silverware.