2020-21 Premier League: Week 19 – Arsenal vs Newcastle

Arsenal welcome Newcastle United to the Emirates Stadium in Monday Night Football from the Premier League. 

Victory would see Arsenal climb to tenth whereas Newcastle can move above Wolves with a win into 14th position.

 

Team News

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Gabriel Martinelli could return for Arsenal after recovering from an ankle injury which forced him to miss Thursday’s goalless home draw against Crystal Palace.

Kieran Tierney (calf) is also expected to return but Pablo Mari (calf) is sidelined for the Gunners’ next two games at earliest.

Newcastle will be without Ryan Fraser who is suspended after being dismissed in their midweek defeat at Sheffield United.

Jamal Lewis (knock), Jamaal Lascelles (fatigue), Federico Fernandez and Jonjo Shelvey (both muscle) face late fitness tests but Allan Saint-Maximin (fitness) remains ruled out.

 

Stat Attack

• Arsenal have won four of their last five league meetings against Newcastle (W4, L1), keeping clean sheets in their last three such clashes.
• Newcastle have lost their last eight league trips to Arsenal since winning 1-0 in November 2010 (L8).
• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored once in each of his last three Arsenal appearances against Newcastle in all competitions.
• Ryan Fraser’s red card at Sheffield Utd was the Magpies’ first dismissal in 28 league games since Valentino Lazaro was sent off at Crystal Palace last February.
• Two of Arsenal’s three draws this season finished goalless.

 

Prediction

After enjoying a brief reconnaissance over the festive period, Arsenal seem to have reverted to their typical type of dominating games but lacking the end product in their last two games, especially against Newcastle who took them to extra-time just over a week ago in the FA Cup.

I however am worried that Steve Bruce’s Magpies seem content to play for draws at present with extremely defensive if slightly aggressive displays, which was evident in their loss at Sheffield Utd because they seemed to spend the game mainly defending if nothing else.

This match though could well boil down to whether Arsenal can rediscover their clinical finishing ability, as I seriously can’t see Newcastle getting anything here except a point if finish goalless and even that has to be unlikely.

Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle