Newcastle couldn’t resist a sly dig at Mikel Arteta after Arsenal’s dismal Carabao Cup semi-final exit at St James’ Park. The Gunners, already trailing 2-0 from the first leg, failed to mount a comeback and suffered another 2-0 defeat, sealing a 4-0 aggregate loss.
Their struggles began in the opening leg, where wasteful finishing—particularly from Kai Havertz—proved costly.
The German forward squandered key chances, leading frustrated Arsenal fans to wonder if long-time transfer target Alexander Isak would have been more clinical.
Instead of criticizing his striker, Arteta controversially pointed to the match ball, which was different from the one used in the Premier League. His comments were widely mocked, and Newcastle made sure to remind him of them. After securing victory, the club’s official X account posted a picture of the Puma ball in the net with the caption: “The culprit.”
The loss was a bitter pill for Arsenal, especially after their exuberant celebrations in Sunday’s 5-1 thrashing of Manchester city, where they had openly taunted Erling Haaland. This time, they had no choice but to accept defeat in silence.
Arteta reflected on the disappointment post-match: “We had high hopes but couldn’t generate momentum. We had crucial chances with Martin, but they scored right after. That changed everything.” He admitted the team lacked control in the final third and gradually lost grip on the game.
This was Arsenal’s 11th match in just 33 days, a punishing schedule that seemed to take its toll. With no FA Cup commitments following their elimination by Manchester United, the squad will now head to Dubai for warm-weather training.
“We have to swallow this defeat,” Arteta admitted. “It’s painful, but we need to recharge in Dubai and push forward. There’s still a lot to fight for.”