Arsenal host Newcastle at Emirates Stadium in a blockbuster clash in the Premier League title race.
Victory would see Arsenal move ten points clear of second-placed Manchester City for at least 48 hours, whilst Newcastle can go second with a win.
Team News
Arsenal have no fresh injury concerns to report after their New Year’s Eve victory at Brighton.
Emile Smith Rowe (groin), Reiss Nelson (thigh) and Gabriel Jesus (knee) remain absent.
Newcastle could be without Matt Targett with the left-back struggling with an on-going heel injury.
Martin Dubravka is available for selection after he was recalled from his season-long loan at Manchester United.
Emil Krafth (knee), Paul Dummett, Jonjo Shelvey (both calf) and Alexander Isak (muscle) remain absent.
Stat Attack
- Arsenal have lost just one of their last eight league meetings against Newcastle (W7, L1).
- Newcastle have lost each of their last ten league visits to Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium (L10).
- Arsenal have kept clean sheets in their last six league matches at home against Newcastle, during which they scored 13 goals in total.
- Gabriel Martinelli has scored in each of Arsenal’s last three league games played at home.
- Newcastle have won each of their two previous away visits to London this season (W2), albeit without keeping a clean sheet in their trips to Fulham and Tottenham respectively.
Prediction
Based on their last two matches, Arsenal certainly are not missing Jesus up front becuase other players like Martinelli and Bukayo Saka have stepped up, especially in an aggressive pressing yet clinical win at Brighton amidst small second-half defensive slips.
Newcastle meanwhile were dominant against Leeds with some solid defending and goalkeeping but lacked end product, yet can take heart from extending their unbeaten run coming into this hoodoo visit to the Emirates Stadium so I do expect them to come out fighting for the win here.
This match though does feel like Arsenal’s to lose because they just look in serene control with strong squad unity at the moment, whilst Newcastle realistically need to win to keep their title ambitions within sight so all pressure will be on the Magpies here.
Arsenal’s defence though has been more sloppy compared to the Magpies’ in recent fixtures so a draw might well be a decent result, especially given the tight turnaround in this festive schedule.
Prediction: Arsenal 1-1 Newcastle
Result: Arsenal 0-0 Newcastle