Arsenal 0-2 Newcastle: A dream night - THE best win of the Eddie Howe era?

A dream night in North London for Newcastle United, as Eddie Howe's magnificent Mags head into next month's Carabao Cup semi-final second leg with a 2-0 lead!

THE best win of the Eddie Howe era? I think it might just be. A famous victory (our SEVENTH on the spin), the perfect away performance and a night we won't forget, capping off a simply incredible past month for this team.

Against an in-form Toon team missing the suspended Bruno Guimaraes and Fabian Schar, we were organised, brave - both on and off the ball in our blocking, passing and pressing - and a threat in attack against an Arsenal side who struggled to break us down at one end and could not cope with the best striker in the Premier League at the other.

6,000 Mags packed out the away end at the Emirates - a superb effort on a cold Tuesday night the week so many went back to work - and they were treat to a rock solid first half, where huge blocks from Sven Botman and Martin Dubravka were followed by Alexander Isak's poachers finish to hand us a 1-0 lead at the break.

I had never seen William Saliba and Gabriel so nervous and Isak's presence sent us into dreamland in the second half, as his shot - via a superb ball from Murphy - was parried by Raya and tapped in by Anthony Gordon to make it 2-0. And that's how it ended, as we became the first side since Aston Villa (April, 2024) to win at the Emirates.

The second leg will take place at St James' Park on Wednesday 5th February and although it may feel like we have one foot in the final, there'll not be a single ounce of complacency heading into next month's decider.

Howe made just one change from Saturday's 2-1 win at Spurs and it was a slight surprise. Despite media reports claiming Sean Longstaff was in line to replace the suspended Bruno Guimaraes, former Gunner Joe Willock came into midfield alongside Sandro Tonali and Joelinton.

Botman started again - his second in just four days - and Tino Livramento kept his place at right-back after his superb display at Spurs, keeping Kieran Trippier on the bench. Fabian Schar was absent again, this time through suspension in the cup, but it was a relief to see Botman alongside the usually-reliable Dan Burn.

The first half was near-perfection from a Newcastle perspective. Our shape was superb, we pressed them, limited them to few chances from open play and did brilliantly to thwart them when openings came their way. Timber did head a big chance over from a corner, where they're notoriously dangerous and Martinelli hit the post after Willock's poor giveaway, but we also saw a huge block from Botman to deny Havertz and a big save from Dubravka to block Gabriel's effort.

On the ball, Isak was frightening the life out of the usually unflustered Saliba and Gabriel. They couldn't get close to him and saw us fail to capitalise on a few openings as Joelinton and Tonali fired over.

But, despite our strong defensive showing and ability to frustrate a blunt Arsenal attack, we were causing them problems, showing class on the ball - Tonali and Hall oozed class - and we weren't coming to just see out a 0-0 draw, playing with huge confidence in possession.

Then, on 37 minutes, Dubravka's long ball was flicked on by Botman and guided to Isak by Murphy's deft touch. The Swede had only Raya to beat and finished expertly, firing in off the bar to hand us a 1-0 lead that sent 6,000 Mags wild at the other end! What a striker - that's now 15 for the season in all competitions and his 50th goal for the club on his 89th outing.

We now had a lead to protect and, in true Joelinton fashion, the Brazilian went into the book just before the break. One quarter of the tie complete and we were in a superb position, leaving Arsenal with it all to do in the final 45.

If anyone feared we'd spend the second half camped in our own half and settling for one, they'd be wrong, as Gordon continued his stunning run against 'big six' sides to double our lead. Tonali and Willock played a key role in the build up before Murphy's brilliant low cross found Isak. The Swede's shot forced Raya into a save and Gordon reactd first, tapping in at the back post before celebrating in front of 6,000 Mags going wild in the away end. 2-0!!

Chances followed for Arsenal - Havertz messed up a huge headed chance by shouldering it wide - before substitute Gabriel Jesus headed over. But, we continued to throw black and white shirts in front of the ball whenever Arsenal entered our box and were fighting for our lives to maintain that two-goal advantage.

Howe reacted by making three changes, sensing we had a few too many tired bodies out there after barely rotating over a brilliant but busy festive period. With that, he took off Willock, Isak and Murphy for Longstaff, Kelly and Barnes, giving us another body at the back and some fresh legs in midfield and attack.

Another change came as Gordon - who had scored, worked his socks off and received a booking - was taken off for Miguel Almiron, who came on for a rare cameo and perhaps his last if a January exit is to come anytime soon.

More big blocks and towering headers to clear our lines followed, as did five minutes of added time, which we saw out expertly, as the outstanding Hall and Livramento stepped in with two more vital clearances as Arsenal threw cross after cross into the box.

A final word for Martin Dubravka. If reports coming from Saudi Arabia are correct, this may have been his last game for the club as a move to Al-Shabab edges closer. If so, it's been an incredible end to his time at Newcastle United, with just two goals conceded in his last seven games seeing the Slovakian fill in expertly for the injured Nick Pope over a festive period and start to 2025 we'll never forget.

After the full-time whistle, it looked like a wave goodbye as he got emotional in front of the travelling Toon Army.

Newcastle XI: Dubravka – Livramento, Botman, Burn, Hall - Willock, Tonali, Joelinton – Murphy, Isak, Gordon. SUBS: Vlachodimos, Trippier, Barnes, Targett, Osula, Almiron, Kelly, Longstaff, Miley.

Arsenal XI: Raya - Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly - Odegaard, Partey, Rice - Martinelli, Havertz, Trossard.  SUBS: Porter, Zinchenko, Tierney, Kiwior, Calafiori, Jorginho, Merino, Sterling, Jesus.

Next up, three-straight games at St James' Park, with Bromley (FA Cup on Sunday) followed by Premier League games against Wolves (Wednesday) and Bournemouth (Saturday) next week.

Howay the lads.