Both reveling in midweek EFL Cup successes, Newcastle United and Arsenal collide in the 12:30 PM Premier League kickoff on Saturday at St. James’ Park.
On Wednesday night, the Magpies got the better of a much-changed Chelsea 2-0 to make their first quarter-final of the season, while Mikel Arteta’s men were routine 3-0 victors over Preston North End. However, Arsenal’s defensive solidity has been a concern of late, with the Gunners shipping multiple goals in four of their last five league games.
Already losing ground in the title race, sitting third in the table with a five-point gap to leaders Manchester City, Arsenal have lost their defensive mean streak, drawing comparisons to the tactics of former manager Jose Mourinho. In contrast, Newcastle must use their EFL Cup victory as a springboard for better Premier League fortunes, having gone five games without a win.
Arteta will be without the injured Gabriel Magalhaes, Martin Odegaard, Riccardo Calafiori, Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu, but Ben White is expected to return to the backline. Newcastle, meanwhile, received a boost with the return of Anthony Gordon from a groin issue, though Jacob Murphy and Callum Wilson remain sidelined.
Despite Newcastle’s home woes of late, the Magpies have proven troublesome opponents for Arsenal, having beaten the Gunners 1-0 at St. James’ Park last year. However, Arteta’s men exacted revenge with a 4-1 thrashing at the Emirates a couple of months later.
With both sides looking to build momentum after their midweek cup victories, this clash of Premier League title challengers promises to be a closely contested affair. While Newcastle will be aiming to end their winless run, our prediction is that Arsenal’s fresher legs could give them the edge in a narrow victory.
