Arsenal needed something only slightly short of a miracle to reach the final of the League Cup on Wednesday, but instead Mikel Arteta’s side was dealt another 2-0 defeat to Newcastle (4-0 on aggregate) and another injured attacker.

NEWCASTLE 2-0 (4-0 agg.) ARSENAL – Highlights, recap & analysis

A two-goal comeback against one of the Premier League’s best defenses was always going to be a tall mountain to climb, and it only got steeper after Newcastle put the ball in the back of the net twice in the opening 20 minutes (one of them even counted). Things went from bad to worse when winger Gabriel Martinelli hobbled off with an apparent hamstring injury in the 37th minute, just two days after Arsenal stood pat in the January transfer window despite Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus already out through long-term injuries. A costly night, in more than one way.

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

“We had so many expectations to believe we could turn it around. The game started in the first action with the goal and it being denied. We had two moments, we didn’t capitalize and the game shifted.”

…

“It’s a tough one. We knew the difficulty of the task from the result in London. Now we have to look forward, first of all its going to be a painful one. When we’re in Dubai, we recharge.”

Mikel Arteta, on Gabriel Martinelli’s injury

“He felt something in the first half. We will have to assess.”