Newcastle v Arsenal: Carabao Cup semi-final, second leg – live

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“Arsenal fans of a pessimistic turn of mind will worry that after hubris comes nemesis, and all the good vibes around Myles Lewis-Skelly might be undone with a duff game,” begins Arsenal hobbyist Charles Antaki. “Perhaps this one is a good choice if it does go wrong, since, at 2-0 down already, failure here wouldn’t be unexpected, and one can always tell oneself that it’s only the Carabao/Milk/Rumbelows Cup, and that next week it’s the Dubai sunshine cure. Still, the optimist in us all hopes that the boy continues to do good, and help set the universe a bit more right than it is at the moment.

A remidner of the teams

Newcastle (possible 4-3-3) Dubravka; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Guimaraes, Tonali, Hall; Murphy, Isak, Gordon.
Substitutes: Pope, Wilson, Targett, Krafth, Osula, Livramento, Willock, Longstaff, Miley.

Arsenal (possible 4-3-3) Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Martinelli, Havertz, Trossard.
Substitutes: Setford, Calafiori, Zinchenko, Tierney, Kiwior, Jorginho, Merino, Sterling, Nwaneri.

Referee Simon Hooper.

“Are there any signature Newcastle celebrations that Arsenal could mock tonight?” wonders Matt Dony. “(With apologies for making generalisations…) Arsenal fans have enjoyed siegementalitying themselves more than anyone else over the last few years; in order to make the social media anger worth it, the team may as well go looking for as many beefs as possible. (Beefs? Beeves?) I’m sure we’d all be happy to have some bitter North/South rivalry developing here, and some things-that-no-one-likes-to-see happening on the pitch.”

I don’t think this Arsenal team have too many distinctive celebrations do they? But there’s been plenty of needle between these teams in recent years so there’s every chance of some organic beef.

“G’day Rob,” says Chris Paraskevas. “Over the last month we’ve managed our usual party trick of playing ourselves completely out of form ahead of a ‘big’ ‘cup’ match. That must explain why Eddie Howe has broken out my old favourite, the WM formation, to follow the 5-5-0 from the first leg.

“All I know is that anything even vaguely resembling our 8-0 pre/post-season humiliation against the A-League All Stars will send me into Full Troll Mode, and the NUFC Instagram page will be flooded with my comments (again).

“I’ve been very well behaved lately – I’ve even started having full discussions with the neighbouring Amazonian parrot – but a loss here could send me over the edge.”

The Collins Dictionary defines a hobby as “an activity pursued in spare time for pleasure or relaxation”. Supporting a football team needs to be reclassified, possibly as an addiction.

Newcastle are warming up with a back four and Lewis Hall in midfield. It might be a bluff; might not. This is their possible line-up.

Newcastle (possible 4-3-3) Dubravka; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Guimaraes, Tonali, Hall; Murphy, Isak, Gordon.

Mikel Arteta speaks

There’s a lot of things to manage for both teams. If we score the first goal it will play on their minds. It could be a very long match.

We were very disappointed with the result in the first leg because we created so many chances. In recent weeks we’ve been very efficient; tonight, for sure, we’ll need that to go through.

‘A central tenet of yoga being mugging off the oppo’

On this day in 2011…

Newcastle’s last major trophy was either 56 or 70 years ago, depending on your level of respect for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. They won that in 1969 and the FA Cup in 1955. I’d certainly count the Fairs Cup as a major trophy, though not everybody does.

“Looks like a decent match tonight, both teams up and down, needing something from their season, given that the title is seemingly destined elsewhere...(to be confirmed),” says Jeremy Boyce. “In other news, there is a tasty match up in the Championship tonight, with Frank’s resurgent play-off contenders Coventry City at home to leaders Leeds66%possessionUnited, both on unbeaten runs and wishing to continue that way. Not many matches, but plenty to anticipate.”

Eddie Howe talks to Sky Sports

[Do you go at them even with a 2-0 lead?] I think we have to. We don’t know any other way. We can’t change now; I don’t think that would be right. In saying that, we can tweak our way of doing it and we might have to be adaptable today. We need to find a way to win.

I think the players need to play the game with emotion but not too much emotion. We need to get the crowd in the game. If we don’t, we’re not utilising a major asset. It needs to be a strong start.

[Are you playing three centre-backs?] It’s an adaptable system! If you look at us play we’re constantly changing position. The formation is important but irrelevant – the attitude has to be right. We’ve got to be brave and we’ve got to be ourselves.

Team news

Eddie Howe has made two changes from the defeat to Fulham: Kieran Trippier and Sven Botman come in for Tino Livramento and the injured Joelinton. The inclusion of Botman suggests a switch to three centre-backs, though that’s very unlike Eddie Howe. It might be that Fabian Schar moves into midfield.

Arsenal are unchanged.

Newcastle (possible 5-2-3) Dubravka; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Hall; Guimaraes, Tonali; Murphy, Isak, Gordon.
Substitutes: Pope, Wilson, Targett, Krafth, Osula, Livramento, Willock, Longstaff, Miley.

Arsenal (possible 4-3-3) Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Martinelli, Havertz, Trossard.
Substitutes: Setford, Calafiori, Zinchenko, Tierney, Kiwior, Jorginho, Merino, Sterling, Nwaneri.

Referee Simon Hooper.

“It is going to be another battle and we know how difficult it is to play there. But we have an amazing team and we trust ourselves. We have full confidence in our squad.”

The small print

• The tie will go to extra time if necessary, then penalties

• There’s no away goals rule

• VAR is being used

Preamble

As well as being a terrifyingly long time in politics, a month is also a long time in football. When Newcastle won 2-0 at the Emirates in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final, they looked nailed on to reach their second final in three years. Alexander Isak was Europe’s hottest striker, Newcastle were on a run of seven straight wins and Mikel Arteta was being openly ridiculed for talking balls.

Fast forward four weeks and the landscape looks very different. Newcastle have lost their last two games at home, including a 4-1 shellacking by Bournemouth, and Arsenal are high on life after thrashing Manchester City 5-1 on Sunday.

Newcastle are still favourites to progress and move within one game of immortality upon the Tyne. But if any team can head up north for a big game, knowing they need to win by at least two goals, and get the job done, it’s Arsenal.

Kick off 8pm. A place in the Carabao Cup final is up for grabs.