Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta insists his team have not given up hope of reaching the final of the Carabao Cup despite the odds being stacked against them heading into the return leg at Newcastle United.

The Magpies were sensational last month as they gave themselves a great foundation in the semi-final with Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon's goals giving them a 2-0 aggregate lead. With Newcastle at home in the second leg, Eddie Howe's men will be considered favourites to advance to the Wembley final where the winners will face either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur but Arteta still has faith his men can overturn the two-goal deficit to advance.

"Next stop is a final in Wembley so we know how big that is and you can feel it," he told reporters in his pre-match press conference. "You can feel it straight away.

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"The boost that the game gave us when against [Manchester] City, the manner that we did it and the fact that it's a game that is the closest competition we are in to a final. So we're going to give it our real go."

The Gunners have not beaten Newcastle at St James' Park since May 2023 and Arteta was asked if the Magpies were considered a bogey team for his side. "I didn't know that word," Arteta chuckled.

"They are a very difficult team to play against. They've been different games.

"We beat them at home last year in a good way. Obviously this season has been different with two different games as well I think.

"So yeah, another opportunity ahead of us, a big one that can take us to Wembley so really looking forward to it." Should Newcastle advance to the final of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, they will be returning to the Home of Football for the first time since February 2023 when they faced Manchester United in the same competition's finale.