However, they are just 180 minutes away from another shot at glory against either Tottenham Hotspur or Liverpool, but they arrive for the home leg on the back of a disappointing 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League, while Newcastle defeated Spurs 2-1 for their sixth win in a row.
Eddie Howe‘s men have already conquered the Gunners 1-0 at home this season, and speaking to Sports Mole, Watts warned Arteta that a slender advantage would not suffice before a “super hostile” second leg next month.
“They need a two-goal lead,” Watts said. “When you look at the last couple of games at St James’, Arsenal haven’t scored a goal, they’ve lost 1-0 in each of the last two games in the league and have barely threatened Newcastle.
“That second leg is going to be super hostile – a cup semi-final with a trip to Wembley on the cards for a Newcastle side who haven’t won a piece of silverware in nearly 70 years, that is going to be a really incredibly difficult 90 minutes for Arsenal up there. They need something to protect, they need a lead.
You wouldn’t say no to a 1-0 lead, any sort of advantage you would take, but I think they’ve got to be looking at this and hoping they can get themselves to two goals. But it’s going to be really hard.”
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Arsenal still have not lost a single game at the Emirates Stadium this season and remain the only unbeaten home team in the Premier League, but upcoming visitors Newcastle have hit a hot streak in front of goal of late.
The Magpies have struck at least two goals in each of their last eight games in all competitions, while Alexander Isak – a rumoured transfer target for the Gunners – has made the net bulge in each of his last seven Premier League appearances.
