'We were tired' - Mikel Arteta blames fatigue from Man City thrashing for Newcastle loss but admits Arsenal must 'swallow' Carabao Cup exit - as wait for silverware continues

Arsenal's hopes of securing a domestic cup this season came to an abrupt end at St James’ Park as Newcastle sealed a 4-0 aggregate victory, earning a spot in the Carabao Cup final on March 16. Goals from Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon ensured Eddie Howe’s side marched on to Wembley, where they will take on either Liverpool or Tottenham.

The defeat brought a disappointing conclusion to a busy period for Arsenal, who have endured a gruelling schedule of 12 matches in 41 days. With their next fixture over a week away, the team will now travel to Dubai for a mid-season training camp to recover before the business end of the campaign.

Reflecting on the loss, Arteta admitted that the result was difficult to take and said: "We need to swallow this one, it is a tough one. We had a lot of expectations. We knew the difficulty of the task because of the result we brought from London. but there is nothing we can do right now. What we could do was on the pitch a few minutes ago, now we have to look forward. First of all, I think this is going to be a painful one. While we are in Dubai, recharge and go again because we still have a lot to play [for]."

Arteta also pointed to the intensity of recent matches as a contributing factor to Arsenal’s lacklustre display.

"Physically, we were tired, we have played so many games," he said. "Emotionally as well it was a very different game to believe right there in the end that we could do it."

For Newcastle, the victory represents a significant step in their journey under Eddie Howe. The Magpies are now just 90 minutes away from winning their first major trophy in 56 years, a feat that would mark a defining moment in the club’s modern history. Meanwhile, Arsenal will look to return to winning ways when they face Leicester City on February 15 in the Premier League.