Things went from bad to worse when winger Gabriel Martinelli hobbled off with an apparent hamstring injury in the 37th minute, just two days after Arsenal stood pat in the January transfer window despite Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus already out through long-term injuries.

Arsenal are at a crossroads. There is so much still to play for this season – in the Premier League and the Champions League, the two most important competitions – but they are reaching a defining summer under Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal have been labelled the "big losers" in the January transfer window after failing to add another forward to their ranks. The Gunners were keen to sign another forward, with manager Mikel Arteta admitting that injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka would force their hand.

Mikel Arteta has called on his Arsenal squad to regroup during their warm-weather training break in Dubai and target a trophy-winning end to the season after losing their Carabao Cup semifinal to Newcastle United.

While Newcastle United fans scrambled for trains, tickets and hotels around London for next month’s League Cup final through blissfully blurry vision, wide-eyed Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was leading his side on to an Emirates flight to Dubai for a much-needed warm weather winter training break.

Newcastle reached the Carabao Cup final with a 4-0 aggregate win over Arsenal - it will be the second time Eddie Howe has taken the Toon to Wembley

When you manage a top club like Arsenal, where expectations are sky-high, you naturally expect the board to provide unwavering support. Mikel Arteta, throughout the first half of the season, could see that his team was lacking in certain areas,