Mikel Arteta's blunt six-word response to Newcastle United claim as Arsenal boss mocked

Mikel Arteta has reacted to Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final defeat against Newcastle United.

Leading 2-0 from the first-leg win at the Emirates, the Magpies needed just 19 minutes to extend their advantage when Jacob Murphy followed up Alexander Isak’s shot that cannoned off the post.

The tie was then put beyond doubt in the opening stages of the second-half when Anthony Gordon’s capitalised on Declan Rice’s loss of possession to slot the ball into the bottom right corner.

Reflecting on his side’s defeat, Arteta said: “We had so many expectations obviously to believe that we could turn around and generate momentum, especially in the first half.

“The game started in the first action almost with them scoring and then the goal being denied. Then we had the moment, two big moments with Martin, we didn't capitalise the next action, they scored the goal and obviously, the game shifted.

“And then you need to stay cool, to score a goal as early as possible. We didn't manage to do that in the first half even though we had another big chance. And in the second half then we started to struggle as the game went by and we didn't generate enough situations to establish ourselves, the game started to get away from us.”

Arteta added: “Yeah, when you want to win cup finals, you want to win trophies, at the end those are really effective in the box in the last two games that we played against them and we haven't.

“Overall that was the main difference, it's true that today we've been a bit more unsettled, especially when the game became more chaotic or when they were very direct with their play.

“Normally we are much more composed, today we lacked a bit of that and the game went away from us.”

Newcastle beat Arsenal 1-0 in the Premier League meeting between the two clubs in November. Overall, Howe’s side have lost just two of their last eight games against the Gunners.

Asked if Newcastle had become one of Arsenal’s most difficult opponents, Arteta said: “Yeah, it's a tough opponent, yeah.”

Newcastle supporters took great pride in mocking Arteta in the second-half, chanting “Mikel Arteta, it must be the ball” in response to the Arsenal manager’s complaints about the Carabao Cup matchball.