Newcastle United outclass wasteful Arsenal to take a 2-0 lead into the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at St James' Park

We thought it would be damage limitation from the off for Newcastle United tonight with a view to besting Arsenal on our home turf, but Eddie Howe had different ideas.

When the team sheet was revealed and it had Joe Willock starting in place of the suspended Bruno Guimaraes, we knew that the plan was to attack, and that's exactly what we did.

It was a fairly even first half with chances at either end and while Arsenal had the most efforts on goal, it was Newcastle who were the more clinical.

Alexander Isak prodded home another Jacob Murphy assist on 37 minutes to give Newcastle the lead, continuing Isak's tremendous goal-scoring streak against the club that covet him so much. Jacob Murphy may have known little about the touch that fell to Isak, but he'll claim the assist, no doubt. Looking at the recent stats, Murphy and Isak are becoming a more deadly duo than Fred and Rose West.

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Anthony Gordon couldn't resist rubbing salt into Arsenal's wounds

It didn't take Newcastle too long into the second half to double their advantage as Anthony Gordon poked into an empty net following another link-up between Murphy and Isak with the latter's shot being parried by David Raya into the path of Anthony Gordon who added insult to injury by imitating Thierry Henry's corner flag celebration to really wind up the home crowd.

With a 2-0 lead to protect, Eddie Howe made a triple substitution which also saw a change in formation to a 5-5-0 signalling his intent to see out the game with the current scoreline.

It was an awful tactic that just invited constant pressure from Arsenal for almost half an hour, but to give credit where it's due, it absolutely worked.

Was this Eddie Howe's best win as Newcastle boss?

Given Newcastle's awful record at the Emirates, the pressure on the lads to ensure we were in a good position for the second leg, and the fact that Arsenal were really going for it, this has to go down as one of Eddie Howe's most accomplished victories as Newcastle boss.

The 5-5-0 for half an hour terrified me, but it worked. A few players were individually a little bit off it, but as a team, they were absolutely tremendous.

What an absolutely fantastic night for the Toon Army and now all we have to do is avoid defeat at home in February. Tell me ma, me ma, I won't be home for tea....