Newcastle United

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Wednesday's newspaper back pages are dominated by Newcastle's clinical win against Premier League title chasers Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final.

Newcastle have been champions of England four times and won six FA Cups, but have not lifted silverware since the Fairs Cup in 1969.

However, their fans will be dreaming this is the year that long wait for a trophy finally ends.

Eddie Howe's men took control of their semi-final with a superb first-leg win against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium and will make the final if they avoid defeat, or lose by a one-goal margin, in the second leg at St James' Park on 5 February.

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Newcastle's Anthony Gordon speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live after victory in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at Emirates Stadium: "To a man, everyone was top level. Coming to this place is so hard and Arsenal defend really well. It was always going to be a smash-and-grab kind of game for us, but we executed it perfectly.

"We are a team and that's when we play at our best, when everyone's on the same page. We have to be ruthless with and without the ball - all the top teams do it."

On team-mate Alexander Isak: "Very good. He is the best in Europe, probably, right now, with the form he's in. The best quality he has got is that he is so humble. He is not scared to pass the ball. He's very unselfish, and his best ability is his raw ability on the ball."

On possibly winning the cup: "It would mean the world, but we cannot think about that. They can easily flip this fixture if we are not at our best levels."

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Newcastle boss Eddie Howe spoke to ITV after Newcastle's 2-0 win at Arsenal: "Very pleased with the players. It was a tough game for us in many respects. We had players struggling at half-time. Really pleased with how we played.

On the form of goalscorer Alexander Isak: "First half he was electric and I thought he played really well. He scored and his general game was in a really good place. He was feeling his hamstring a bit at half-time so we had to manage him in the second half and that was a big blow to our performance.

"I think we rode our luck at times and I think Martin [Dubravka] played really well and made some really good saves. For the set-plays, in the main, we got the small details right. Our mentality to defend our goal with the blocked shots, the heroic pieces of defending that we saw in the last 20 to 30 minutes... it's great for us for the future."

Michael Emons
BBC Sport journalist

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Newcastle's Alexander Isak has long been heralded as the sort of striker Arsenal need. At Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, he showed the Gunners exactly what they were missing.

Isak was superb, scoring one goal and making the other one. He also gave Arsenal's defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba a rarely-seen torrid time as Newcastle gained a brilliant 2-0 away win in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.

After Newcastle's 4-0 victory over Ipswich last month, in which Isak scored his first hat-trick for the club, boss Eddie Howe said he wanted the Swede to help guide the team to a first trophy since 1969.

Isak's performance in London leaves Newcastle fans dreaming of a Wembley return after losing in the Carabao Cup final only two years ago.

Although Isak grabbed the headlines, it was a superb team effort from a Newcastle side that dealt admirably with the constant threat of dangerous inswinging corners from the hosts as the Gunners lost for the first time at home this season.

The Newcastle players were quick to stress afterwards the tie was not over, but the fans will be eagerly awaiting the second leg at what promises to be a raucous St James' Park on 5 February, with the supporters hoping the team can finish the job off and secure a Wembley spot.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Arsenal's performance

What did you make of Newcastle's display?

Come back to this page on Wednesday to find a selection of your replies

Harry De Cosemo
BBC Sport

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Alexander Isak has always dealt with the pressure of potential. As a 16-year-old he became the youngest scorer in local club AIK's league history, and quickly established himself as a hot prospect across Europe. Comparisons to legendary countryman Zlatan Ibrahimovic soon followed, but the pair could hardly have been more contrasting.

Ibrahimovic's brash, ego-driven persona was not shared by Isak. Born to Eritrean parents in Stockholm, he grew up humble and introverted, eventually developing into the sort of player and person Newcastle wanted to build their project around.

In 2017 Isak moved to Borussia Dortmund, a breeding ground for potential superstars, but unlike Jadon Sancho, Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland, life in Germany did not work out. Coaches who worked with him recognised his ability, but the player's shyness stopped him from establishing himself.

However, one meeting between Isak and then Dortmund reserves boss Jan Siewert helped him turn his career around. Over coffee, Siewert showed the young striker two pictures side by side - one of the player sitting on the Dortmund substitutes' bench, another of him smiling after scoring for Sweden. Siewert asked Isak what the difference was. Confidence. After opening up about his lack of it, Isak began to feel more comfortable.

Read more of Harry's article on Isak here

Charlotte Robson
Fan writer

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What a difference a day (full Christmas football schedule) makes.

Four and a bit weeks ago, Newcastle United were 14th in the league, not able to string wins together and fans searching for answers. Why this downturn in form? Has it all really gone stale?

Well, no, as it turns out. It has all gone fresh. We are leaving the holiday season with six wins on the spin - one in a cup competition - a Carabao Cup semi-final to contend with and a renewed energy.

We have not gone on a run of form like this since the season we finished fourth and ended up in the Champions League. Is it too soon to start dreaming of the same again? Is it possible this is the season Newcastle break their cup drought?

I am starting to believe.

Then, we can add to the wins and the goals (so many delicious goals!) the return of Sven Botman, our imperious centre back, who has been out for 10 months after having surgery for an ACL injury.

We managed all right without him - the players in his place have given their all - but having him back is massive. Botman, together with Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak are integral to Newcastle's spine.

Within minutes of him starting at the weekend against Tottenham (another delicious win!) you could see what we had been missing. His ability to pick out a player and send long balls directly to them is unrivalled in our squad.

One of the other key reasons for our improvement, which I have written about extensively, is Sandro Tonali.

Unlocking him and allowing our midfield to become much more effective when pressing has been huge for Newcastle. I am really excited to see how the spine of our team develops with Tonali in it, and Botman back.

2025 looks very bright.

Find more from Charlotte Robson at the True Faith: Newcastle United Podcast, external

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BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your questions.

Graeme asked: Is this the best Newcastle United we've seen? Have they peaked with the players they've got, or can you see more from the team in the future?

Phil answered: They are certainly are the best Newcastle United we have seen this season and manager Eddie Howe deserves a lot of credit for this.

They were indifferent and inconsistent early in the season but the utilisation of Sandro Tonali as a number six, which had been a problem position, has been transformational and we've seen Bruno Guimaraes hit something like his best form.

Alexander Isak is a striker of the highest class while Anthony Gordon has also shaken off what looked to be an early season hangover from the disappointment of Euro 2024 and all that speculation about a move to Liverpool.

The return of key defender Sven Botman after a lengthy injury absence only adds to their strength.

I do not see them having peaked. The pieces are falling into place and I can see them kicking on now. They must have a top four place in their sights as that is something definitely up for grabs in the Premier League this season.

They just need to make sure they hold on to all of their best players in this January transfer window.

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Carabao Cup semi-final first leg game at Arsenal (20:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Howe said Sven Botman "feels good" after returning from a long injury lay-off in Saturday's win at Tottenham: "Naturally a little bit of fatigue at the end of the game. It was a long absence but he's trained for a long, long time for this moment. We need to speak to other people and make the right decision [on a phased return]."

• Anthony Gordon was caught in the face by Dejan Kulusevski during the Spurs game: "Anthony was in a bit of discomfort with the cut, which was a nasty looking one. Looking back, I thought it was a clear penalty. He came away from the incident with blood on himself. We dusted him down and I thought he had a really good game."

• Bruno Guimaraes will be suspended for the visit to Emirates Stadium: "It's a big blow. One of Bruno's biggest strengths is that he is always there for you. His appearance record has been brilliant for us, especially when you consider the physical exertion he commits to us. He's going to be a big miss. We have big players who can fill his shoes."

• On speculation that goalkeeper Martin Dubravka will play his final Magpies game at Arsenal before being allowed to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Shabab: "We're just concentrating on the games. Massive game against Tottenham then a massive game at Arsenal. There's been no talk of anything other than our matches."

• Howe said every player will want to feature in the semi-final: "I will ask every player how they are physically, and they will all say they want to play. It is a massive game for us. We are under no illusions. Part of our strength recently has been the consistency in our team selection so let's see what we will do."

• On his midfield three of Joelinton, Sandro Tonali and Guimaraes: "They're very good athletes and are aware of the importance off the ball. The great thing about those three is that they recognise the team needs to perform in both phases of the game [with and without the ball]."

Follow Monday's Carabao Cup news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Listen to full live commentary of Arsenal v Newcastle from 20:00 on Tuesday on BBC Sounds

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Are Newcastle top four contenders?

The Magpies recorded their fifth league win in a row at Tottenham on Saturday and they have propelled themselves from 12th to fifth in the league table.

"At the moment they are in a good vein of form," said former Brighton striker Glenn Murray on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "Eddie Howe sets his team up to be defensively strong, but I think this run is down to one man and that is Alexander Isak.

"My main worry for Newcastle going into this season was striker fitness. They don't seem to be able to stay fit for a consistent amount of time.

"When Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak are fit and start they are guaranteed goals. But it is keeping them both fit.

"As Wilson remains out injured they need to wrap Isak in cotton wool."

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Tottenham and Newcastle.

Here are some of your comments:

Tottenham fans

Kelechi: The boys put in a decent shift. That equaliser, so soon after our goal and with the controversy around it, was psychologically damaging for us in the first half. Say what you will, but a hand caused the ball to go in the direction of the goalscorer - that should be a handball foul. How Joelinton and Dan Burn survived getting sent off is still surprising to me. We move on.

Colin: I am so confused with the handball law now. I think we should revert to the original interpretation: ball to hand only. Ifab have totally confused us all, referees included. We played much better in the second half but we are too vulnerable defensively.

Peter: I thought Lucas Bergvall was outstanding, I was surprised he was substituted off. Spurs needed to score to equalise, with proven attacking players. Full credit to the substitute goalkeeper, he was confident and played very well.

Michael: At least we are consistent about being inconsistent! We are definitely going backwards!

Josh: Our youngest team for 10 years. A goal that arguably shouldn't have stood for the opponents. And 45 minutes played without a recognised centre-back. Injuries have devastated Spurs but winning ways will return with the players. Ange Postecoglou shouldn't be blamed for these results. I like Daniel Levy but he has a massive window to ensure the team is fleshed out to compete across all tournaments.

Newcastle fans

Geoff: A game of two periods. First half, we were outstanding and well worth the lead at half-time. However, we were a different side in the second half and, in the end, were fortunate to win. I know Eddie Howe has his eye on midweek but his substitutions were bizarre. Every time he made one, we got worse. We still gained three points but we were nowhere near as good as previous games.

Mike: That was a hard three points. Where did the 12 minutes of extra time come from? My fingernails were down to my knuckles.

Ian: Newcastle need to take more of their chances when they come. They can't quite kill the game off when they are leading and this allows teams the opportunity to keep fighting when they think they have a chance to get back into the match.

Jamie: I'm very happy with the result. We don't travel down south well, so a win is always important. I have to feel sympathetic to Spurs, I hope they stick with Postecoglou and build a squad with the depth that makes them able to compete. We also need greater depth, but the result proves again that Newcastle's first XI can challenge most sides in the league.

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Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has praised Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe for tweaking his "outstanding" midfield three, as the Magpies claimed their fifth consecutive Premier League win by beating Tottenham 2-1 on Saturday.

Speaking on Match of the Day, Murphy said: "They have got Tonali sitting now with Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton running forward. They complement each other well. I think they are the main reason Newcastle have had this great resurgence recently.

"They are physically great but technically really good as well, with the composure to dictate and control games. They take risks, they go high and they are always close together which is great.

"When they do win the ball back, someone is always close by to find the next pass. The other two midfielders, who aren't on the ball, are covering the yards and the distance to support the player on the edge of the box.

"You can always see Joelinton on the edge of the box. His energy to continually get up and down the pitch is unbelievable. I don't know what he has pre-match, but I need some of it!

"They are playing positive balls that make an impact on games, and they have done it really well in recent games. They look like they have got their energy back, their willingness and tenacity to do the hard work.

"In recent weeks, that midfield three has been as good as any in the Premier League."

Catch up on Match of the Day on BBC iPlayer

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Crystal Palace 1-1 Chelsea

• Brighton 1-1 Arsenal

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Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes has been speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle following the Magpies' 2-1 win: "A massive result. We said before the game that if we could win today, we would be fourth in the league. We did our job, now let's support Crystal Palace for their game today against Chelsea. I'm very happy for everyone.

"I think we are in a very good rotation right now and we are in a very good moment. I was happy with the result.

"I think after a team gets a goal in the beginning, it is always important for us to score after two or three minutes so that it is in a key moment of the game. The first goal gave us the confidence back.

"We could have avoided the opening goal, but no problem because we turned things around. But, if we don't concede first [in the future] then all is good!"

On teammate Alexander Isak: "He is for me, nowadays, the best striker in the world. No one has performed better than him. I'm pleased for him, he is a very good guy and a very good player. I hope he can keep scoring and helping us."

Listen to the full post-match interview on BBC Sounds

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A month can be a long time in football.

Against Crystal Palace at the end of November, Newcastle mustered only one shot on target in a meek 1-1 draw - a result that came hot on the heels of a 2-0 home defeat to struggling West Ham.

Fast forward five weeks and Eddie Howe's team look unbeatable, winning six on the bounce in all competitions and scoring 18 goals in the process.

They fell behind early on against Tottenham but responded magnificently to Dominic Solanke's opener, completing the turnaround through Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak before the interval.

Isak's goal means he becomes the third Newcastle player to score in seven consecutive Premier League games, after Alan Shearer in 1996 and Joe Willock in 2021.

There was more good news for the Magpies at the other end of the pitch as Sven Botman, making his first appearance since March 2024, delivered an assured performance alongside Dan Burn in the absence of the suspended Fabian Schar.

The victory consolidates Newcastle's place in fifth - which could be enough for a Champions League spot in 2025-26.

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Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has been speaking to TNT Sports after the win: "We had to dig deep. It was a tough win, but a massive one. There is no denying that the ball hit Joe's hand or arm, but I'm not sure of the rules."

On whether Dan Burn should have been sent off: "Not for me. I don't think he warranted two yellow cards. His yellow card probably was one but, after that, they were slight fouls."

On goalscorer Alexander Isak: "He was in the right place at the right time. That is an art. Another good cross from Jacob [Murphy]. He will be disappointed with the one he didn't take. He is on a hot streak, long may that continue."

On their current form: "Our confidence has definitely shifted, it naturally does when you win games. It was something we were building to, the performances were good.

"We are a very good team with good players. I would like to think that we can keep it going."

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Alexander Isak has now scored in seven consecutive Premier League matches for Newcastle United, becoming the third player to do so for the Magpies after Alan Shearer (September-November 1996) and Joe Willock (April-May 2021).

Anthony Gordon has either scored (2) or assisted (3) in each of his last five Premier League appearances for Newcastle United. He now has two goals and two assists against Tottenham in the Premier League - against no other side has he registered more goal involvements in the competition.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Spurs fans - let us know your post-match thoughts

What did you make of the game, Newcastle fans?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies