Arsenal were punished in the EFL Cup semi-final first leg, as Newcastle United left the Emirates with a two goal lead.
The last thing Arsenal would have wanted to take to St James’ Park was a deficit, but that’s just what unfolded in the first leg.
Mikel Arteta’s side will have to overturn a two-goal disadvantage if they are to book their spot at Wembley, as Newcastle toyed with the Gunners at the Emirates.
Arsenal transfer target Alexander Isak showed Arteta what he’s missing by opening the scoring, before Anthony Gorden rubbed salt in the wounds by adding a second.
On a nightmare night for Arsenal in the EFL Cup semi-final first leg, here’s how each player rated.
Arsenal player ratings vs Newcastle
David Raya – 5
Raya held his hands up early on, admitting to a flurry of blunders when playing out from the back, the goalkeeper was left with no chance when isolated with Isak.
Myles Lewis-Skelly – 6
Arteta restored Lewis-Skelly to the starting XI in place of Riccardo Calafiori and the Hale End graduate was arguably Arsenal’s best player on a poor night.
William Saliba – 5
Club icon Lee Dixon questioned Saliba and Gabriel’s performance against the Magpies, as the Frenchman was involved in some risky play when tested by Isak.
Gabriel Magalhaes – 5
The Brazilian seemed to get caught by lapses in communication between himself and Saliba, as Gabriel would often attempt to play the offside trap while his partner did not.
Jurrien Timber – 4
A rare tough night for Timber, who fluffed his lines at both ends of the pitch in crucial moments.
First, the Dutchman had to score from a first half header and after the interval, the fullback was caught on his heels, allowing Gordon to double the visitor’s lead.
Thomas Partey – 5
Sometimes Partey is brilliant in midfield and sometimes, the 31-year-old looks like a player heading towards the end of his contract.
Against Newcastle, the Ghanaian looked rather slow in comparison to Newcastle’s charged-up midfield and offered very little.
Declan Rice – 5
Just like Partey, Rice was outplayed at times by Newcastle and far too often assisted the opposition on their quest to trouble the hosts.
The Englishman lost possession and misplaced passes in risky areas, with the only positive being his strong deliveries from set-play.
Martin Odegaard – 4
Odegaard’s form since returning from injury has been a real concern, with his performance against Newcastle only adding to his list of below par displays.
The Norwegian was largely ineffective and guilty of playing several loose balls that uncharasteristically disrupted play.
Gabriel Martinelli – 5
While Martinelli did create some chaos, the Brazilian failed where he really had to provide.
The winger had the chance to score in the first half and often made the wrong decision with his final ball.
Kai Havertz – 4
Havertz, like many of his teammates, was ineffective. If anything, the striker only prompted the Gunners to take a closer look at Isak.
The German failed to produce in the final third, missing a sitter early into the second half.
Leandro Trossard – 4
Trossard’s efforts on the right side were simply nowhere near replicating Bukayo Saka’s presence, sending a warning to Arteta. The Belgian struggled to really offer much when in transition.
Substitutes
Jorginho – 5
Helped to bring some composure to the game but showed his lack of conviction in the box as he wildly squandered a chance to score.
Gabriel Jesus – 5
Added a fresh approach going forward but missed a chance to score shortly after coming on, a difficult night for Arsenal’s front line.
Oleksandr Zinchenko – 3
Came on the pitch and was booked for a reckless foul two minutes later.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
