NEWCASTLE UNITED might be rediscovering their mastery of the ‘dark arts’ – but Eddie Howe accepts his players will have to successfully negotiate a disciplinary tightrope in this evening’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at Arsenal.

Two years ago, when the Magpies reached the League Cup final and qualified for the Champions League, they ruffled feathers with their game-management techniques, with Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta leading a long line of opposition managers criticising Newcastle’s time-wasting tactics and regular injury breaks.

In the last few weeks, both Unai Emery and Ange Postecoglou have been left incensed in the wake of defeats to Newcastle, with Howe’s players seemingly having rediscovered their ability to successfully manage matches.

Tempers boiled over at the half-time break of the Villa game, with a ’20-man melee’ resulting in Newcastle’s assistant boss, Jason Tindall, being sent to the stands for the second half.

With a place at Wembley at stake over the course of the next two Carabao Cup games, the atmosphere at the Emirates this evening promises to be febrile.

Howe wants his players to do everything they can to claim a positive result, and has repeated his mantra from previous seasons that his side are ‘here to win, not to be liked’. However, he also concedes that it would be disastrous if emotions boiled over in either of the semi-final games.

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Howe said: “You always have to stand up for each other as long as it's in a controlled way. I don't want us to lose discipline in any way.

“We have been pretty good with that this season. There is a line in terms of your behaviour that you don't want to cross.

“You don't want to be reckless, but we have to be strong and resolute, and definitely protect each other on the pitch. Off the pitch, in terms of our conduct, it's got to be again strong and resolute but not reckless.”

Whatever happens this evening, the game will not be settled until the sides meet again at St James’ Park at the start of next month.

The dynamics of a two-legged tie are inevitably different, but Howe does not want his players to be thinking too far ahead when they take to the field in north London tonight.

He said: “For us, I think we’re at our best when we just see the game and don’t overthink things. There is a danger you can tie yourself into knots, second guessing yourself really.

“It’s a game of football. It’s 90 minutes. Yes, of course, it will only be half-time and there will be a second chance regardless of the outcome. But a positive approach, seeing us play our way, is our best chance of getting a positive result.”