Is VAR being used for Arsenal vs Newcastle tonight? New Carabao Cup rules explained

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·7 Januari 2025

Is VAR being used for Arsenal vs Newcastle tonight? New Carabao Cup rules explained

EFL announced rule changes ahead of final four meetings this week

Arsenal and Newcastle will tonight meet in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final.

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The Gunners are hosting Eddie Howe’s side at the Emirates Stadium before traveling up to St James’ Park next month.

Mikel Arteta will be desperate to reach another domestic cup final. For all the improvements the Spaniard has made in charge of the Gunners, a lack of silverware across the otherwise pretty successful period is somewhat disappointing.

Arsenal haven’t lifted a trophy since winning the FA Cup under Arteta in 2020 and while they may have designs on competing for the Premier League and Champions League titles, a trip to Wembley is in sight.

Still, they will have to improve on their rather laboured outing at Brighton on Saturday which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Newcastle, on a much longer trophy drought of course, have won their last six games across all competitions and are desperate to reach the final of this competition again, having lost to Manchester United at Wembley in 2023.

Games between the two have become increasingly tense in recent years.

Arteta, after all, embarked on a rant against refereeing standards in England after Anthony Gordon’s controversial goal survived three separate VAR checks to seal a Newcastle win in November 2023.

Is VAR being used in Arsenal vs Newcastle tonight? New rules explained

VAR will be in use for Arsenal’s Carabao Cup game against Newcastle

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Quite whether or not it will prove to be a popular decision or not given the debate surrounding VAR remains to be seen.

However, the EFL have confirmed that the technology will be in use for Tuesday’s game as well as Tottenham’s clash against Liverpool on Wednesday night in the other semi-final.

It will then be used again in the final, having not been deployed in any round up to this point this season.

As part of a new trial, referees will announce the final decision over the stadium address system after any visit or upon the conclusion of factual matters such as accidental handball or offside judgements.

An EFL statement posted earlier this month read: “VAR will be in place for this season’s Carabao Cup Semi-Finals, along with the first use of in-stadium VAR announcements in English football.

“As part of the trial, referees will announce (over the stadium public address system) the final decision following a visit to the VAR pitchside monitor, or upon the conclusion of factual matters such as accidental handball by a goalscorer or offside judgements. Only the final decision will be announced in the stadium.”