Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimarães has hailed forward Alexander Isak as the "best striker around" after the Sweden international helped propel his team to the Carabao Cup final with a 4-0 aggregate win over Arsenal.

Isak scored both of Newcastle's goals in the 2-0 first-leg victory and excelled once again on Wednesday, seeing a goal disallowed for a tight offside decision in the opening minutes of the game and playing a big role in the Jacob Murphy's opener.

Isak spun Arsenal's centre-back William Saliba with some smart combination play with Anthony Gordon before lashing a powerful strike that bounced off David Raya's post and into the path of Murphy, who placed it into the empty net.

"For me he's the best striker around," Guimaraes said of his striker. "Nobody is performing better than him. We are lucky to have him and I hope he can keep it going."

The comfortable aggregate victory means Newcastle have reached the final of this competition for the second time in three seasons as they look to end a trophy drought that dates back to 1969.

"It would be a dream to lift a trophy and put my name in the club's history," midfielder Guimarães said of the chance to go one better than in 2023, when they were beaten by Manchester United. "It would be amazing in my first season as captain."

Head coach Eddie Howe also talked up the prospect of ending the hoodoo and building on that painful experience.

"The first Wembley was brilliant, a bit unexpected, but we need to be there regularly," Howe said. "We need to feel like we're there on merit, it's not a surprise. We are there on merit, our run has not been easy this year, we've faced four Premier League teams, so we have done the hard yards."

Newcastle will face one of Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur in the final at Wembley Stadium on March 16. Spurs hold a 1-0 lead heading into the second leg, which takes place at Anfield on Thursday.

Newcastle United reached a second League Cup final in three seasons as they overwhelmed Arsenal 2-0 at a feverish St James' Park on Wednesday to complete a crushing 4-0 aggregate win.

Moments after Arsenal's Martin Ødegaard wasted a chance to halve the deficit, Jacob Murphy tucked away a rebound in the 19th minute after Alexander Isak's shot hit the woodwork.

Arsenal, surprisingly beaten 2-0 at home in the first leg, suffered another off-night and their fate was sealed when Anthony Gordon punished a defensive error in the 52nd minute to put the hosts in cruise control.

Newcastle, who have not won a major trophy since 1955, will play either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur in the Wembley final next month when they hope to go one better than 2023 when they lost in the final to Manchester United.

Tottenham hold a 1-0 lead ahead of Thursday's second leg at Anfield.

Of the 32 previous occasions that a team has lost the first leg of a League Cup semifinal by two goals or more, only once has a team recovered the deficit to reach the final.

Based on the evidence of their crushing 5-1 victory over Manchester City on Sunday, it seemed entirely feasible that Arsenal might buck that trend and ruin the Geordie party.

In the end it was a night of unbridled joy on Tyneside as the club's long-suffering fans scent another shot at silverware.

As it turned out, the outcome of the tie was probably decided just before the midway point of the first half.

Had Arsenal skipper Ødegaard taken a golden opportunity instead of slicing a shot hurriedly against the outside of the post, Newcastle might have been consumed by anxiety, especially as they had already had an Isak effort ruled out by VAR for the tightest of offside decisions.

A minute after Ødegaard's miss, the marauding Isak went through on goal again and his curling shot ricocheted off the post to Murphy who stayed ice cool to steer the rebound home from a tight angle.

"I was very happy (Ødegaard') missed it," Newcastle's Brazilian skipper Bruno Guimarães said. "That was a big opportunity for them and then I think less than two minutes later we score. It was a game changer.

"I felt anxious before the game, big game, Arsenal a top, top team but when we play like that we become an amazing team. Play like that and we can dream big."

Arsenal suffered another blow when Gabriel Martinelli left the pitch with a hamstring injury before halftime and their evening was to get even worse early in the second half.

The visitors' defence was unusually nervous and William Saliba was lucky that Gordon failed to score from distance after dispossessing him and catching keeper David Raya off his line.

But Arsenal failed to heed the warning and minutes later Raya's casual pass out was nicked by Gordon who then dispatched a first-time shot past the Spanish keeper and inside the post.

With the pre-match tension lifted, Newcastle were able to cruise through the rest of the game against an Arsenal side who will now have to dust themselves down and focus on trying to chase down Liverpool in the Premier League title race.

NEWCASTLE, England -- The "never" men beat the "nearly" men. Newcastle United now stand a Carabao Cup final away from ending their interminable 56-year-old wait for a major trophy while questions grow about Arsenal's ability to cap their progress with silverware.

There was an irresistible determination about Newcastle from the outset on Wednesday. Buoyed by a 2-0 lead from the first leg, St James' Park filled to bursting point under the lights with supporters desperate to free themselves from the burden of almost six decades in darkness.

Alexander Isak tormented the normally unflappable centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães. Newcastle switched systems, defended in numbers, and looked lethal on the break.

The combination overwhelmed Arsenal, as Newcastle swept them aside with goals from Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon to win 2-0. This sets up a Wembley showpiece against either Liverpool or Tottenham when the chance to win the trophy that eluded them in the 2023 final against Manchester United will again be within their grasp.

The Gunners started the season eyeing bigger prizes but getting this close to success only to be denied yet again adds to the body of evidence against them being capable of getting over the line.

Twice they have pushed Manchester City all the way in the Premier League and twice they were denied. Mikel Arteta won the 2020 FA Cup in his first season with the club but such has been the dramatic overhaul during his time in charge that only one player from the starting lineup that day -- Kieran Tierney -- is even still at the club.

This current group have become proper Premier League heavyweights and they may still win the title or even the UEFA Champions League. But the sense they are missing something -- even with a full list of players once Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus return from injury -- only grows on nights like this.

The club's decision not to sign a striker in January was a judgment call: The right player either wasn't available or too expensive. Sources told ESPN that they made a bid for Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins of around 40 million when the asking price was 60m.

They decided not to return with another offer and with longer-term targets including Benjamin Šeško at RB Leipzig and -- whisper it quietly -- Newcastle's Isak unavailable, they decided to go with what they have. That is a judgement call that will ultimately define their season. Watching Isak torment Arsenal's backline here was a painful reminder of what they are missing.

Just days after Gabriel and Saliba marshalled Erling Haaland -- who admittedly still scored -- to great effect in a 5-1 thrashing of Manchester City, the pair looked incapable of handling Isak's mixture of intelligent running and technical quality.

The high line had something to do with it. Arsenal felt they had to make the running given the first-leg deficit and Newcastle knew it, changing to a 5-4-1 shape without the ball for the first time this season to invite the visitors onto them and hit on the break.

It was broadly the same game plan with a different system which earned them two 1-0 wins over Arsenal in their last two league visits here and, yet again, invites scrutiny over whether the Gunners are just a touch short of match-winning class in the final third. An injury to Gabriel Martinelli will only exacerbate those concerns as Arteta confirmed afterwards the Brazilian will undergo a scan on his hamstring on Thursday.

Arteta would point to August's Community Shield triumph to counter accusations of a lack of silverware and they can of course recover from this, starting with a warm-weather training break in Dubai which will feel a lifetime away from the February northeast chill.

"We need to swallow this one, it is a tough one," said Arteta.

"We had a lot of expectations. We knew the difficulty of the task because of the result we brought from London. but there is nothing we can do right now. What we could do was on the pitch a few minutes ago, now we have to look forward.

"First of all, I think this is going to be a painful one. While we are in Dubai, recharge and go again because we still have a lot to play [for]."

But this was nevertheless a chastening night. The rivalry between these two sides has escalated in recent seasons and evidence of that could be seen in the ferocity of the contest, while it lasted anyway.

Isak had the ball in the net after four minutes with a sumptuous finish ruled out by a tight VAR call for offside. The tie turned in the space of a minute or so as at one end, Martin Ødegaard hit the post when he probably should have scored, and then at the other, Isak raced clear. His sublime left-foot effort hit the post but Murphy found enough stretch within his frame to steer the rebound in via a flick off the opposite post.

Gordon put Newcastle 4-0 up on aggregate after Arsenal made a mess of playing out from the back, with goalkeeper David Raya under-hitting a ball to Declan Rice which Fabian Schär intercepted for Gordon to finish smartly.

Then the party started. "Mikel Arteta, it must be the ball," sang the gleeful Newcastle fans, in reference to Arteta volunteering the different football used in this competition as a possible reason why Arsenal's finishing let them down in the first leg four weeks ago.

But no quirk explains the outcome here. Newcastle fully deserved to advance for another crack at glory, summed up the stadium announcer greeting the final whistle with the words: "Book your trains, book your hotels, we're ga'an to Wembley."

Newcastle's path to silverware is clear. Not for the first time, Arsenal's looks complicated.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett spoke publicly Wednesday for the first time since announcing a trade request Monday, telling the "Rich Eisen Show" that he and the organization are not aligned on the team's future.

"It's not a decision I take lightly," said Garrett, speaking on Radio Row in New Orleans. "It took time and lots of conversation. Just looking at the trajectory of the team, talking to some of the higher-ups, I have a lot of respect for them, but I just don't think we're aligned on where the team is going in the near future."

Garrett, the NFL's reigning Defensive Player of the Year, on Monday released a statement announcing his desire to be traded from the Browns, who drafted him with the No. 1 pick in 2017.

Garrett, who has made the playoffs only twice in eight years, made comments during the season that he wanted to know the team's offseason plans before further committing to the organization. The 29-year-old has two years remaining on the record-breaking five-year, $125 million extension he signed in 2020 but has no more guaranteed salary.

The Browns' 3-14 finish was their worst since going 0-16 in 2017, Garrett's rookie year. Cleveland holds the second pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

"I just felt it was time," Garrett said. "I had taken my time after the season, kind of relaxed and decompressed emotionally. Wanted to distance myself a little bit and spent a little time talking to my family about how we feel about this decision."

Garrett said he also consulted with Lakers star and Akron native LeBron James, who twice left the Cleveland Cavaliers, about "what a transition looked like for him, what was his thought process going into it before he left Cleveland."

A six-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro, Garrett reiterated his desire to go to a contender but acknowledged "I don't have much say in where I go." Garrett's contract does not include a no-trade clause.

Twice in the past month, Browns general manager Andrew Berry told reporters he had no intention of trading Garrett. And in the aftermath of Garrett's trade request, multiple team sources told ESPN that nothing had changed within the organization.

"It's never been about the Hall of Fame for me," Garrett said. "It's not about money or records. You're remembered for winning."

Brian Kelly on Wednesday disputed comments made by the father of former LSU safety Greg Brooks Jr., who alleged the Tigers coach abandoned the player after he had surgery to remove a brain tumor in September 2023.

In an interview on "Good Morning America" on Monday, Greg Brooks Sr. said his family hadn't heard from Kelly or anyone on LSU's coaching staff since shortly after the surgery.

"There's many things I can't say because it is pending litigation, but here's what I can tell you: It is factually incorrect to state that I was not there by Greg's side through this ordeal on multiple occasions," Kelly said during a news conference Wednesday. "I had somebody from my staff that was there virtually every single day.

"We love Greg, we love him for the person that he is, for the competitor that he is and the battler that he is. We only wish him continued progress as he goes through an [incredibly] difficult time."

In a lawsuit filed in August against LSU and Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Brooks Jr. accused the Tigers coaching staff of encouraging him to practice after he showed symptoms in practice that something was wrong. He alleged that team athletic trainers misdiagnosed his condition for weeks and waited too long to send him to a neurological specialist.

Brooks Jr., a team captain who transferred to LSU from Arkansas, played in two games in 2023 before doctors discovered the brain tumor.

The complaint alleges that the surgeon who removed the tumor wasn't qualified to perform the procedure and caused "catastrophic neurological injuries" that left Brooks Jr. permanently disabled. The lawsuit says Brooks Jr. suffered multiple strokes during surgery.

More than a year after the surgery, Brooks Jr., 23, can't walk and uses a wheelchair. He had to learn how to write and speak again through rehabilitation.

Doctors told Brooks Jr. that he is cancer-free after undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments, according to "Good Morning America." During the interview, Brooks' father said he hadn't heard from LSU coaches during his son's recovery.

"Specifically, Brian Kelly," Brooks Sr. said. "My son almost lost his life. Coach, where were you? Forget about football. Pick up the phone and say you love the kid, man."

Kelly denied the accusation Wednesday.

"You can question me as a football coach, you can question me with things we do on the field but off the field, as a parent, a husband, as someone who is actively involved in every community that I've been involved with, this is where I draw the line for me," Kelly said. "That comment struck a nerve with me. It hit my heart. I'm in this business for our players, and it rattled me that somebody could possibly be so factually incorrect in stating that I was not a part of Greg Brooks Jr.'s care and support. The support was the entire university and entire community. I needed to make sure that record was clear."

Ohio State is set to promote Brian Hartline as its primary offensive coordinator, replacing Chip Kelly, and will have him handle playcalling, sources confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday.

Hartline, a former Ohio State standout wide receiver who has coached the team's wideouts since 2018, served as co-offensive coordinator under Kelly last season as the Buckeyes won their first national title in a decade. He held the primary offensive coordinator title in 2023, although head coach Ryan Day handled much of the playcalling. Day gave up playcalling to Kelly after the 2023 season, choosing to focus on the team's overall operation, and is expected to keep the approach with Hartline, according to a source.

Kelly left earlier this week to become Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator under new coach Pete Carroll. 247 Sports first reported Hartline's expected promotion.

Hartline played for Ohio State from 2006 to 2008, before entering the NFL draft, where he was selected in the fourth round. He played six seasons for the Miami Dolphins and one for the Cleveland Browns.

Since returning to his alma mater, Hartline has overseen one of the nation's top wide receiver rooms, which has produced five NFL first-round draft picks in the past three drafts, including Marvin Harrison Jr., the No. 4 pick in 2024. Ohio State returns record-setting wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and others for the 2025 season but will be looking for a new starting quarterback.

Offensive analyst Billy Fessler is expected to be promoted to quarterbacks coach, sources confirmed to ESPN's Pete Thamel.

Hartline's offensive staff also will include new line coach Tyler Bowen, who had previously been Virginia Tech's offensive coordinator, sources told Thamel earlier Wednesday. Bowen replaces Justin Frye, who left to coach offensive line for the Arizona Cardinals.

The Washington Wizards are trading Jonas Valanciunas to the Sacramento Kings for Sidy Cissoko and two second-round picks, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Wednesday.

The deal comes ahead of Thursday's NBA trade deadline.

Sacramento is using most of its $12.8 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception to acquire Valanciunas' $9.9 million salary. Sources told ESPN's Bobby Marks that the Kings are sending a 2028 Denver Nuggets second-round pick (if No. 34-60) and their own second-rounder in 2029 to Washington. The Denver second-round pick was acquired from San Antonio in the De'Aaron Fox trade.

Valanciunas, 32, was in his first season with Washington after signing a three-year, $30 million deal with the Wizards in June.

He has started the majority of his 13-year career, but he has been coming off the bench this season behind No. 2 pick Alex Sarr.

Valanciunas, a 6-foot-11 center, boasts an excellent touch around the rim and has the ability to stretch the floor at times, particularly from 3-point range.

The moves reunites Valanciunas with DeMar DeRozan, his former teammate in Toronto.

It also gives the Kings a powerful, all-Lithuanian frontcourt with Valanciunas and Domantas Sabonis, former Olympic teammates. Each has 376 career double-doubles, tied for 12th most among active players.

Both the Wizards and Kings have been busy ahead of the deadline.

Earlier Wednesday, Washington acquired Khris Middleton from the Bucks as part of a deal that sent Kyle Kuzma to Milwaukee.

And the Kings previously acquired Zach LaVine as part of the three-team deal that sent Fox to the Spurs. Cissoko was also part of that deal.

Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant has no desire for a reunion with the Golden State Warriors, league sources told ESPN's Shams Charania.

The Warriors have been seriously pursuing a trade before Thursday's deadline with Durant as one of their targets. Golden State is eager to find another star to play alongside franchise star Stephen Curry.

Due to Phoenix's 25-24 record and ninth-place standing in the West entering Wednesday, teams have been aggressively calling the Suns and have inquired about Durant.

However, sources told Charania that Durant does not want to go back to Golden State, after he helped the Warriors win back-to-back titles in two of his three seasons there.

Durant won Finals MVP in both the 2017 and 2018 NBA Finals.

The Suns hope to continue to build around Durant and Devin Booker, but it is unclear where trade talks go between now and the deadline.