Eddie Howe hailed Newcastle United's "huge" League Cup semi-final win over Arsenal and vowed his side would learn from the pain of their last visit to Wembley.
Newcastle repeated their 2-0 first-leg success over Arsenal last month with a mirror scoreline on a memorable night at a raucous St James' Park on Wednesday.
Jacob Murphy's first-half opener and Anthony Gordon's strike after the interval sealed a 4-0 aggregate success that sent Howe's team to their second League Cup final in the past three seasons.
Newcastle were losing finalists in 2023, succumbing to Manchester United, but Howe is confident the lessons from that heartbreaking loss will provide valuable experience and motivation in the final on March 16 as the Magpies look to end their 56-year wait for a major trophy.
"It is huge. The first appearance there was a bit unexpected, but we want to be there regularly, so it's not a surprise this time," he said.
"We are there on merit. Our run has not been easy this year, so we've done the hard yards.
"Hopefully we can learn from the last experience. We have come a long way since then. I would love to think we can go to Wembley and perform better."
The Magpies are bidding for their first major trophy since winning the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969, with their last domestic silverware coming in the 1955 FA Cup.
Newcastle out-played Mikel Arteta's side thanks to superb performances from Sweden striker Alexander Isak and England winger Gordon.
Howe acknowledged he had tweaked his defensive system, switching to a back five to nullify Arsenal's set-piece threat.
Arteta had no answers to Howe's tactical masterclass as Newcastle beat the Gunners for the third time this season.
"It was a great night for us. It was a tough game but tactically we were good. The intention was to be aggressive and sometimes when you do that it doesn't always work. Today it did," Howe said.
"You know you are playing against elite players and one mistake can make things difficult. We had to be ourselves. If not then you are on the back foot.
"We do tweak things depending on the opposition. We felt we needed more height in the team, we wanted solidity at the back and we had to change in order to win the game.
"The players followed the instruction to the letter. They deserve the credit."
Newcastle will discover their Wembley opponents on Thursday when Tottenham try to defend their 1-0 first leg lead at Anfield.
While Howe and company can look forward to the final, Arsenal were brought down to earth with a bump after Sunday's 5-1 rout of Manchester City.
That swaggering performance kept alive Arsenal's hopes of catching Premier League leaders Liverpool, who are six points clear of the Gunners with a game in hand.
But just four days later, Arsenal – already eliminated from the FA Cup – found another potential route to silverware curtailed on Tyneside.
"We had momentum in the first half and didn't capitalise. They scored immediately after and the momentum shifts," Arteta said.
"We needed a goal early in the second half and we didn't get that and the opportunity passes.
"They have been more efficient than us in the boxes and that is the difference in the tie."
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
RACE CARD
5pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (Turf) 2,200m
5.30pm: Khor Al Baghal – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Khor Faridah – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m
7pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m
7.30pm: Khor Laffam – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m
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Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019
December 11: 'My husband died, so what happens to the Dh240,000 he owes in the UAE?'
JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.
“I have no words to thank you for helping me out,” she wrote to The Debt Panel after receiving the panellists' comments. “The advice has given me an idea of the present status of the loan and how to take it up further. I will draft a letter and send it to the email ID on the bank’s website along with the death certificate. I hope and pray to find a way out of this.”
November 26: ‘I owe Dh100,000 because my employer has not paid me for a year’
SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue.
SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."
October 15: 'I lost my job and left the UAE owing Dh71,000. Can I return?'
MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.
“The insolvency law is indeed a relief to hear,” he says. "I will not apply for insolvency at this stage. I have been able to pay something towards my loan and credit card. As it stands, I only have a one-month deficit, which I will be able to recover by the end of December."
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
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