Arsenal look to bounce back from a disappointing defeat as Mikel Arteta’s Gunners welcome Newcastle United to Emirates Stadium.
Victory would see Arsenal stay fifth but move level on points with fourth-placed West Ham, whereas Newcastle can climb above Norwich into 19th with a win.
Team News
Arsenal have no fresh injury concerns to report following last weekend’s defeat at Liverpool, as Granit Xhaka (knee) and Sead Kolasinac (ankle) remain ruled out.
Newcastle could be without Fabian Schar after the Swiss defender suffered a hamstring injury in last weekend’s 3-3 draw at home to Brentford.
Paul Dummett remains absent with a calf injury.
Stat Attack
- Arsenal have won their last six league meetings against Newcastle (W6).
- Newcastle are winless in their last nine league visits to Emirates Stadium (L9) whilst failing to score in six of their last seven league trips.
- Arsenal have kept clean sheets in their last five league matches against Newcastle.
- Emile Smith Rowe has scored in three of Arsenal’s last four home matches with the Gunners going on to win on all three occasions.
- Newcastle have scored first in just one of their last five away league matches – having scored first through Sean Longstaff in 1-1 draw at Watford (D3, L2).
Prediction
Having seen their ten-match unbeaten run ended last time out at Liverpool, Arsenal can take heart from the fact that their wasted chances and small costly mistakes can be corrected with more focus and quality.
Newcastle meanwhile put in a great attacking performance in which they were aggressively energetic, yet were still awfully sloppy in defence with players out of position when Brentford were on the attack which surely needs to be their priority for improvement.
This though is Arsenal’s to lose because they have great form in this fixture although Newcastle will definitely cause issues on the attack, yet the Magpies’ defence is their most vulnerable section which Arsenal should easily dismantle if at their very best.
Prediction: Arsenal 3-1 Newcastle
Result: Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle