Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has blamed tiredness as a factor for his side’s defeat to Newcastle United in the second leg of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
Goals from Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon earned Newcastle a 2-0 win and a 4-0 aggregate scoreline.
The Gunners went into the game hoping to replicate their performance against Manchester City at the weekend but were second best throughout the tie.
“Physically we were tired and you know we played so many games, we played so many games every three days, and we knew that this was going to be a really high-intensity one,” Arteta said in his post-match analysi.
“I think emotionally as well, it was a very different game that we needed to get there to believe right until the end that we could do it, and before that the game got away from us.
The Spaniard admitted that his side lost the tie in the first leg and it is an opportunity missed not getting to the final
“We certainly made it really difficult for ourselves,” he said.”If you are in a semi-final and you don’t get to a final, very much [so].”
Arsenal will now focus their attention in the Premier League and UEFA Champions League to stand a chance of winning a silverware this season.
They are in second position in the Premier League and have qualified for the Champions League round of 16.