Eddie Howe has challenged his Newcastle players to create a “legacy” by reaching the final of the Carabao Cup at Arsenal’s expense.
The semi-final second leg at St James’ Park kicks off with Newcastle 2-0 in front after the first leg in north London last month and Howe accepts that can be a “dangerous” lead. He has, therefore, called on his team to “attack the game” in order to seal a place at Wembley and seek to end Newcastle’s long wait for silverware.
“All our players have to show they can rise to the occasion, that they can leave a legacy on the pitch and do something that everybody talks about for years and years,” said Howe. “What an opportunity we have to attack the game and embrace everything in front of us, to be at our best.”
Given that Newcastle, losing Carabao Cup finalists two years ago, have not won a major domestic trophy since 1955, the occasion will, inevitably, come freighted with emotion. “Nerves and excitement are closely linked and I understand the brain can go in different directions,” said Howe, whose side have won 10 of their past 12 games but lost the last two at home. “But what a great opportunity we’ve got.”
The month-long gap between the two legs has seen Arsenal’s form improve appreciably while Newcastle have faltered and there is real apprehension on Tyneside that this shift in the power balance will be reflected on the pitch.
“Whether a 2-0 lead is the most dangerous in football is probably a conversation for another time; you could go into depth on that,” said Howe. “But it’s only dangerous if you don’t perform. So the message is we have to perform. That’s the challenge. But I don’t think too much focus on the dynamics of the scoreline is healthy for the brain.”
Although Callum Wilson could finally be sufficiently fit to occupy a seat on Newcastle’s substitutes’ bench, a knee injury dictates that Joelinton’s involvement in midfield is touch and go. If the latter’s absence would delight Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, the tie is less likely to be affected by the hitherto fringe defender Lloyd Kelly’s deadline-day move to Juventus.
Newcastle’s concerns about meeting Premier League spending rules meant Howe was unable to strengthen his squad and he admitted he had not encouraged Kelly’s move to Italy on an initial loan deal obliged to become a £20m summertime transfer. “I don’t think it was necessarily my decision to let him leave,” said the manager. “We were very reluctant from our side.
“Lloyd signed for us from Bournemouth only last summer and we believed in him and his qualities. But we’re in the world of trying to manage PSR [profit and sustainability rules] and trying to make decisions that will benefit us in the long term. This is one of those decisions.
“The window was a case of trying not to weaken the squad too much. It’s now lighter in numbers but high on quality. Managing injuries will be a big part of what we do now but there’s still no reason why we can’t be successful.”
