In a tense Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, Arsenal fell to a 2-0 defeat against Newcastle United, with Lee Dixon singling out defender Jurrien Timber for a crucial mistake that contributed to Anthony Gordon’s second goal.
Dixon, a former Arsenal and England full-back, expressed his dissatisfaction with Timber’s failure to react quickly to a rebound following a save by Arsenal’s goalkeeper, Raya.
The error left the Gunners with a significant challenge as they now face an uphill battle to stay in the competition.
The match had already been a difficult one for Arsenal when Alexander Isak opened the scoring in the 37th minute with a close-range strike. Newcastle continued to apply pressure, and just six minutes into the second half, they increased their lead.
After Raya blocked Isak’s initial effort, Gordon was quick to follow up and score at the far post. The goal exposed a gap in Arsenal’s defense, and Dixon was quick to criticize Timber for being too slow to react.
He pointed out that full-backs should be ready for such rebounds and should anticipate the next move, describing it as a fundamental defensive responsibility.
Dixon, speaking during ITV’s commentary, was vocal in his disappointment, saying, “There’s the space, there’s the ball, but at the far post, Timber…”
He went on to describe the defender’s reaction as “too slow” and emphasized that he should have been more alert to follow in the rebound. Dixon added that for a player of Timber’s quality, reacting to the situation should be instinctive—“bread and butter” for a full-back.
In the aftermath of the goal, Dixon reflected on the broader defensive issues that allowed Isak to receive the ball in space and set up the shot. “Isak comes into a No.10 position, just picks the ball up, lays it off and then wanders into space,” Dixon noted.
“The two centre-backs don’t get tight enough. The shot gets fired away, it’s a decent save from Raya, but that is bread and butter for a full-back to follow in there. Timber was just caught on his heels, and Gordon makes him pay.”
Arsenal’s failure to respond effectively left them with little chance of a comeback, and the Emirates crowd expressed their frustration. With the defeat, Arsenal now face a daunting task in the second leg to stay alive in the Carabao Cup.
Their loss also follows a disappointing 1-1 draw against Brighton in the Premier League, and the team will be eager to regain momentum in their upcoming FA Cup tie against Manchester United.
The pressure is mounting on Mikel Arteta’s side, who will need a much-improved performance in their next matches to avoid a deeper slump in form.