Newcastle couldn’t resist taking a thinly veiled dig at Mikel Arteta after Arsenal were humbled at St James’ Park and slumped to a 2-0 defeat in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final. The Gunners faced an uphill task to overturn a 2-0 deficit after their profligate finishing in the first game was punished by Alexander Isak and Anthony

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.

Newcastle United gleefully took aim at Arsenal on social media after the Magpies' Carabao Cup semi-final victory on Wednesday. After January's first leg, which ended in a 2-0 victory for Newcastle, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta blamed the match ball used in the competition for his side's finishing woes,