Arsenal routs Newcastle 4-0 in League Cup
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Theo Walcott's double helped Arsenal rout Newcastle 4-0 yesterday to reach the quarterfinals of the League Cup.
Arsenal went ahead through Newcastle 'keeper Tim Krul's 45th-minute own goal and Walcott netted his first at the start of the second half.
Nicklas Bendtner scored in the 83rd minute before Walcott completed an emphatic victory for Arsenal that puts the club closer to ending a trophy drought since winning the 2005 FA Cup.
"People may say that this is a Mickey Mouse cup, but we want to win trophies," Walcott said. "We want to look back on the trophies we have won in our career. At the moment it's none, but if we keep playing like that I'm sure it will come."
Aston Villa defeated Burnley 2-1 and West Ham beat Stoke 3-1 in Wednesday's other matches, which both went to extra time.
Defending champion Manchester United advanced to the quarterfinals on Tuesday along with Birmingham, Wigan and West Bromwich Albion, and second-tier Ipswich.
The quarterfinal draw will be made on Saturday.
At St. James' Park, Arsenal's opener came after Bendtner headed toward the Newcastle goal and Ryan Taylor's defensive header hit Krul and dropped into the net.
There was controversy surrounding the second. Bendtner, who had run from an offside position, collided with Mike Williamson as he attempted to get to Walcott.
But referee Andre Marriner allowed play to continue and Walcott calmly chipped Krul to make it 2-0 with Newcastle protests counting for nothing.
After Bendtner extended Arsenal's lead, Walcott wrapped up the win in the 88th after rampaging through the Newcastle defense.
"Walcott is more composed in front of goal this season," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "His first touch is better. He is an intelligent boy and because of that he will always improve. He was flying at the start of the season and now he is just coming back from injury. You can see today that he is ready to go to another level."
Arsenal's night was soured by an injury to full back Kieran Gibbs, who went off before the break with a knee problem.
At Villa Park, substitute Stewart Downing scored a winner six minutes into extra time for Villa, which lost last season's final to Manchester United.
Burnley defender Clarke Carlisle had canceled out Villa substitute Emile Heskey's 86th-minute opener just three minutes later.
But after Downing's winner, Villa had winger Marc Albrighton sent off in the 100th minute.
"Marc's sending off was a fair decision," Villa manager Gerard Houllier said. "He didn't touch (Wade Elliott) a lot but I've no complaints."
At Upton Park, West Ham's substitutes came to the rescue. Kenwyne Jones had put Stoke ahead early on, but West Ham captain Scott Parker leveled in the 84th before Manuel Da Costa and Victor Obinna scored in extra time.
"We didn't start the game well but the reaction in the second half was great," West Ham manager Avram Grant said. "We played well, we dominated the game, and we scored three goals."
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