Carling Cup preview: Newcastle United and Arsenal look to transfer strong form from Premiership
As Arsenal travel to play Newcastle United in the fourth round of the Carling Cup on Wednesday, 27 October, both teams will be looking to sustain their strong form of late.
The sides go into the encounter after securing important wins over the weekend. Arsenal defeated Manchester City 3–0 on 24 October, while Newcastle overcame West Ham United 2–1 the day before.
In the last round of the league cup, Newcastle got the better of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, handing the Premier League champions a 4–3 defeat after a thrilling encounter. Arsenal, meanwhile, overcame
local rivals Tottenham 4–1 after Samir Nasri bagged two penalties in injury time.
Chris Hughton's team, who were promoted from the Championship ahead of the season, are ninth in the league with 11 points after nine games. Newcastle will be looking to add to their positive league start
by progressing to the quarter-finals of the competition, but Arsenal will prove a stern test.
Arsenal's more experienced lineup
Wenger's team reached the final of the competition in 2007 after the manager fielded several young players in the tournament, including full-backs Armand Traore and Justin Hoyte.
In their previous game in this year's tournament, the Frenchman fielded an unusually experienced side, with Nasri, Emmanuel Eboue and Neves Denilson among the starters against Tottenham.
Thomas Vermaelen, who has been out of contention since Arsenal's match against Blackburn Rovers in August, is likely to return. Laurent Koscielny suffered a back injury against Chelsea on 3 October, but
will partner Vermaelen in Arsenal's defence as Wenger stops short of fielding younger players at the back.
Norwegian youngster Harvard Nordtveit could be given the nod at right-back, but even here Wenger could play it safe and start with Eboue, as he did against Tottenham. The 19-year-old Craig Eastmond is
likely to feature in midfield alongside Abou Diaby and Tomas Rosicky.
Nicklas Bendtner, who scored his first competitive goal after being sidelined since the World Cup against City on Sunday, is likely to start for Arsenal. The Danish striker has six goals in eight league
cup appearances, and will be helped by the presence of Carlos Vela and the returning Theo Walcott on either wing.
Hughton, meanwhile, could opt to start with Sol Campbell, a former Arsenal player, in defence. If so, the Englishman would be making only his second start for the team after joining the Magpies this summer.
Alan Smith, vice-captain of Newcastle, is likely to start while winger Shane Ferguson and striker Nile Ranger, both young talents, could make appearances for the home team.
Shola Ameobi, Newcastle's injury-time hero against Chelsea in the last round, is likely to start in the team's attack.
Two closely matched teams
Arsenal have won two league cup titles, but none of them have come during Wenger's reign at the club. Newcastle's best run in the tournament came in 1976, when the team finished as runners-up after losing
to City in the final.
The two sides have played each other 165 times, with Newcastle winning 65 encounters against Arsenal's 64. 36 of the games have ended in a draw.
Newcastle's record against Arsenal is impressive, but it should be remembered that they have not knocked the Londoners out of any cup since the final of the 1952 FA Cup.
Historically speaking, they would do well to see off Wenger's team on Wednesday.
Prediction: 2-0 Arsenal
Tags: