Eddie Howe urges Newcastle to be positive and aggressive against Arsenal

The 2024/25 English League Cup will see the second leg of the semi-finals, with Newcastle United taking on Arsenal at St James' Park. Eddie Howe said his team must do their best and challenge Arteta's team with positivity and aggression.

In the first leg of the semi-finals, Newcastle beat Arsenal 2-0 away from home with goals from Isaac and Gordon, laying a good foundation for advancing to the final.

But unfortunately, Newcastle lost to Fulham at home in the Premier League earlier and was unable to meet the new challenge with a victory.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said at a press conference, "My message is clear, we are only halfway through the semi-finals. Facing any opponent, this round of confrontation is still suspenseful. We must do our best, and considering the strength of Arsenal and the lineup they have, we must always be vigilant."

"We need to play in a positive and aggressive way, stick to our style at every moment and never deviate from the tactical arrangement. We are in a good position, so we need to seize every opportunity."

Eddie Howe also said, "Our success is inseparable from the hard work of the team and the fans. We have formed a strong home atmosphere, and we need to do the same in this game."

"We need to use energy and every possible way to stir up the fans and get them involved in the game. Our goal is to make St James' Park a fearsome battlefield for opponents and it is our responsibility to create such a positive atmosphere."

In addition, Eddie Howe continued, "Nervousness and excitement are two closely related emotions, and we must focus only on the positive side as much as possible. I know people will have different ideas, but when we look back on this game, we are in the League Cup semi-finals. What a rare opportunity, even if the score is 0-0."

"There is no need to talk about the lead in the first leg. This is a game at home. We must take the initiative to meet the challenge and do our best to win. This is our goal."

As for the team's lineup status, Eddie Howe said, "Jolinton's knee was previously protected by a protective gear, and he has now taken off the protective gear. We will evaluate his condition again, but now it remains unknown whether he can play, but we will do our best to let him recover."

"We still have a strong squad in midfield with Willock, Longstaff and Lewis Milley all very good players with different qualities. Callum Wilson also has a chance and we have one more training session so we will continue to observe."