- Mikel Arteta blamed his team's wastefulness in front of goal in the Carabao Cup semi-final on the different ball they used
- Arsenal were beaten 2-0 by Newcastle United in the first leg at the Emirates, with the second leg scheduled for next month.
- The Gunners were left with no chances as Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon scored a goal each
Mikel Arteta in a strange way has set the record of Arsenal in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup with a different ball of the match they used on Tuesday night.
Source: Getty Images
Newcastle United put on a show at the Emirates Stadium to gain health benefits before the second leg at St. James Park in February.
Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon scored either side of the half as the Magpies took a big step towards reaching another final in three years.
The hosts once again had to be blamed, with Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz missing clear chances. Martinelli hit the post from a 1v1, while the latter deflected his header in the second half.
Mikel Arteta blamed the ball that Arsenal used to lose
However, Arteta has put the loss on a different match ball they used for the cup competition.
“It's very different to Premier League football and you have to get used to that. It flies differently… when you touch, tackling is very different too, so you have to adapt to that,” he said as quoted by the BBC.
“We also hit a lot of balls over the goal, and it's difficult that these balls fly so much, so there are details that we can do better.”
What ball was used in the Carabao Cup?
The ball in question is made by Puma, while the one used in the Premier League is made by Nike.
How many chances did Arsenal miss against Newcastle United?
The hosts had 23 shots, but three only one was on target, which was also under a strong Newcastle defence.
Despite the defeat, Arteta remains confident his side can overturn the result on Tyneside next month.
“It's just a break. When I see the team play and how we deal with a lot of situations and play against a very good team, I have to say I have full confidence that we can go there and do it.”
The Gunners won't have much time to rest as they host them Manchester United of Ruben Amorim in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday.
Why Brighton were given a controversial penalty
In a separate report, the Premier League explained why it awarded Brighton a controversial penalty against Arsenal.
Arsenal dropped points away to the Seagulls after Joao Pedro was awarded a penalty following a clash of heads with William Saliba.
The crisis made Arsenal miss the opportunity to reduce the lead Liverpool at the top of the table. The Reds have a six-point advantage, having played a game below Arteta's side.
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