Newcastle United meet title-chasing Arsenal at St James’ Park in a top of Premier League clash.
Victory would see Newcastle stay third in the table, whilst Arsenal can move back to within one point of league leaders – Manchester City with a win.
Team News
Allan Saint-Maximin could return for Newcastle after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Sean Longstaff could also be in contention after a foot injury forced him to sit out their comeback win against Southampton last weekend.
Jamaal Lascelles (calf), Ryan Fraser (personal) and Emil Krafth (knee) remain absent.
Arsenal could be without defender, Gabriel after he suffered an ankle injury during their win against Chelsea in midweek.
Takehiro Tomiyasu, Mohamed Elneny (both knee) and William Saliba (back) remain ruled out.
When is Kick-Off
Newcastle host Arsenal in a 4:30pm BST kick-off at St James’ Park on Sunday 7 May, live on Sky Sports in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Newcastle have won just one of their last five meetings against Arsenal (W1, D1, L3).
- Arsenal have won three of their last five visits to Newcastle (W3, L2).
- Newcastle are looking to keep three consecutive clean sheets against Arsenal for the first time in all competitions since a four-match streak between October 1897 – December 1904.
- Four of Newcastle’s last 11 goals at home have been scored by Callum Wilson (W3).
- Arsenal have kept just two clean sheets in their last six away games in the Premier League (W3, D2, L1), during which they’ve scored 13 goals and conceded 10 goals.
Prediction
With a top-four finish within sight with only Arsenal and Brighton looking their hardest remaining games, Newcastle should now start believing that Champions League football next season will be on the cards if they can just get at least seven points from their final five matches.
Eddie Howe’s Magpies though can’t afford to repeat the first-half sloppiness of their eventual comeback against Southampton last weekend, because this is a much tougher game and the chance to avoid defeat against both North London clubs in the same season has to be a motivating thought.
Arsenal meanwhile ended their four-match winless run with a ruthless first-half display to beat Chelsea but it is imperative to win all remaining games to keep pressure on Man City, as one slip-up will surely all but concede the title to Pep Guardiola’s Cityzens.
A goalless draw therefore feels out of the question on paper yet these two teams did draw 0-0 at the Emirates in January, so a repeat can’t be discounted but my instinct says that this could be a tight but high-scoring draw which won’t suit Arsenal who need a win but Newcastle is a tough away ground.
Prediction: Newcastle 2-2 Arsenal
Result: Newcastle 0-2 Arsenal
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