Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United will be missing two pivotal players, Bruno Guimaraes and Fabian Schar, for the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final clash against Arsenal.
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The Magpies advanced to the last four after a commanding 3-1 win over Brentford in the quarterfinals. Their reward is a two-legged showdown with the Gunners, starting at the Emirates Stadium in early January. However, suspensions will force Newcastle to field a weakened squad for the trip to north London.
Both Guimaraes and Schar picked up yellow cards during the Brentford match. Under competition rules, two yellow cards before the semi-finals result in a one-match ban, ruling them out for the first leg.
Despite these absences, Newcastle will feel confident heading into the tie, especially with the second leg scheduled at St. James’ Park. The Magpies have beaten Arsenal twice in a row on home turf and will hope to secure a second Carabao Cup final appearance in three seasons.
Arsenal, however, showed glimpses of their best form in their own quarterfinal, overcoming Crystal Palace 3-2. Gabriel Jesus was the star of the show, scoring a stunning 27-minute hat-trick in the second half.
It was a landmark performance for Jesus, who had been struggling for goals this season. Before the game, he had scored just twice in 2024. His treble against Palace marked his first hat-trick in an Arsenal shirt and his first multi-goal game in 20 months since joining from Manchester City in 2022.
Speaking after the game, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his belief that Jesus has rediscovered his top form, saying the striker is “back to his best.” Jesus himself admitted he felt pressure to perform after missing key chances in Arsenal’s Champions League victory over Monaco the previous week.
“I had pressure on my shoulders to score,” Jesus confessed. “Against Monaco, I missed two clear chances, and I was disappointed. But I stayed calm, worked hard with my coach, and focused on improving. Now, I’m happy to be scoring again because wearing the number nine means there’s always pressure to deliver.”
As Newcastle and Arsenal prepare for the semi-final showdown, the stage is set for an exciting contest between two in-form sides with their eyes on Carabao Cup glory.
