A look into the Carabao Cup semi finals!

6th Jan 2025

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The Carabao Cup will take centre stage in English football this week and we have reached the semi finals. The semis are played over two legs, home and away and a month apart. 

Arsenal will take on Newcastle in the first semi final. Arsenal, just like the last two seasons, have been very strong in the Premier League and have finished as runners up for the last two seasons. The Gunners have improved under manager Mikel Arteta and have done little wrong this season. Indeed with the fall of Manchester City perhaps this was going to be the season, the first in 21 years that would see Arsenal win the league. However, who could have foreseen the rise of Liverpool under new manager Arne Slot. Many expected a transitional season under the Dutchman. Not so. And so it feels like Arsenal has taken a slight step sideways although they are still in the hunt for a multitude of trophies.

Arsenal will play at home in the first leg and unless they record a good result this could be their undoing. Newcastle have improved as a side in the past 18 months and this isn't the team who would go away to the bigger clubs and predictably lose anymore. Eddie Howe has been brilliant as manager and the team have some very exciting players. Apart from Mohamed Salah, arguably the best player in the Premier League is Newcastle's Alexander Isak. He is scoring and creating goals and being the real difference for the club. Arsenal will be strong at home but Newcastle are in great form at the moment and one would suspect that the Gunners would need a 2 goal lead going to St James' Park next month. As for trophies Arsenal are glittered with them but the last 20 years has seen a major fall off. For Newcastle they are getting closer you sense and this year would mark 70 years without any silverware. It would be a good time to end that unwanted record. 

Our prediction: Newcastle to qualify for the final. 

 

Tottenham and Liverpool occupy the other semi-final and while both semis look like brilliant matchups this is the one that feels more mouthwatering. Tottenham have blown hot and cold this season and are not doing well in the league. Alongside Manchester United Tottenham has been the biggest disappointment when we think of the big six clubs. However the attraction to Tottenham remains and lies in the fact of how they play which is relentless attacking. It's fun and entertaining to watch but fans are getting tired of losing games 6-3. Did we say 6-3? Yes we did and that was the score line just a few weeks ago when Tottenham played Liverpool. A throwback game to the black and white nostalgic world of 1950s football. Tottenham's exercise in attack is not a one off. Indeed manager Ange Postecoglu lives by this mantra. Attack, attack attack. 'Are you not entertained?' asked Ange recently when Tottenham knocked Manchester United out of this competition by beating them 4-3. Ange has also stated that his clubs always win trophies in his second season in charge, well here it is and Tottenham are 270 minutes away from doing that. 

Liverpool have not just been the best side in the Premier League but the best in Europe too judging by how well they have been doing in the Champions League. Manager Arne Slot was only supposed to guide the Reds into a top 4 finish and keep the stable after Jürgen Klopp's departure. Instead he may win them the league for just the second time in 35 years and of course his first time of asking. Quite simply Liverpool have been astonishing. So far they have lost just once at home to Nottingham Forest but have been pretty impeccable since. This game reminds us of Arsenal's task in that the second semi sees the two north Londoners have to play away from home. Midweek evening games, an incredible atmosphere all adds up to doing well in the first leg. Ultimately the neutral would love to see an all London final derby affair, what a game that would be. But we think Liverpool will have too much for Tottenham and so Liverpool to meet Newcastle in the final it might be. Who to win? Well Liverpool of course are the holders. Newcastle have tasted recent final heartache. Is this the moment that gulf changes in a tidal wave moment? Maybe. But given this could be Slots first final it's so hard to rule out Liverpool adding to their haul of silverware.

To win the Carabao Cup: 

Arsenal 2.50, Liverpool 2.75, Newcastle 7.00, Tottenham 9.00



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