Eddie Howe has challenged his Newcastle United players to earn the right to be talked about “for years and years”.
The Magpies host Arsenal on Wednesday in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semifinal, holding a 2-0 aggregate lead from the first game in north London.
Howe’s team are in a strong position to reach the final of this competition for the second time in three seasons, and he is desperate for them to make the most of the chance they have. Two years ago, they were beaten 2-0 by Manchester United in the final, meaning they still have not won a major trophy since 1955.
Newcastle’s manager, who has overseen a transformation at the club since the takeover by a consortium backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) in 2021, has urged his team to “attack” this latest opportunity.
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“All our players have to show they can rise to the occasion, that they can leave a legacy on the pitch and do something that everybody talks about for years and years,” he said.
“What an opportunity we have to attack the game and embrace everything in front of us, to be at our best.
“Nerves and excitement are closely linked and I understand the brain can go in different directions, but what a great opportunity we’ve got.
“Whether a 2-0 lead is the most dangerous in football is probably a conversation for another time; you could go into depth on that. But it’s only dangerous if you don’t perform. So, the message is we have to perform. That’s the challenge. But I don’t think too much focus on the dynamics of the scoreline is healthy for the brain.”