Arsenal (A) Pre-match thoughts, team news, possible line-ups & prediction
In our first outing of the New Year, Eddie Howe's Mags travel to North London for a top-of-the-table clash with Arsenal. Imagine reading that sentence 12 months ago!
2022 ended with a frustrating 0-0 draw with Leeds; a game we could and should have won comfortably as missed chances saw us drop two points and end a run of six straight league wins.
Since that rainy day at St James' Park, results elsewhere have well and truly worked in our favour. Spurs lost at home to Aston Villa on New Year's Day, Chelsea were held to a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest and Liverpool fell to a 3-1 defeat at Brentford yesterday, keeping Jurgen Klopp's Reds six points behind us.
Three results that only help our ever-improving top four hopes and performances that gave Toon fans on Tyneside nothing to fear, reminding us that several 'big six' contenders look way off the pace.
Our consistency in 2022 and recent run of clean sheets speaks volumes, but today's trip to table topping Arsenal promises to be one of our toughest tests yet.
The Gunners are in devastating form. Not only have the scored seven goals in their first two games back following the World Cup, they've won each of their last 10 Premier League games at the Emirates. Win tonight and they'll move 10 points clear of Man City - who travel to Chelsea on Wednesday night - although they are facing a Newcastle United side who've lost just one Premier League game all season.
After beating Spurs in their own back yard, taking a point off Man City and seeing off Chelsea at St James' Park, let's hope we come away from the capital having made another statement!
Team news
Kieran Trippier is eligible to play, as his yellow card against Leeds was his FOURTH of the season, leaving him one booking away from a one-game ban.
Fabian Schar is also one yellow from suspension, but we'll be without Alexander Isak (thigh), Jonjo Shelvey (calf), Matt Targett (heel), Emil Krafth (ACL) and Paul Dummett for this one.
For the hosts, Gabriel Jesus remains out with a knee injury, meaning Eddie Nketiah should lead the line for Mikel Arteta's men.
Predicted line ups
(4-3-3): Pope – Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn – Willock, Guimaraes, Joelinton – Almiron, Wilson, Saint-Maximin.
Howe hasn't rotated much in recent months, tending to stick with a winning side, but I'd be surprised if there wasn't a couple of changes from our 0-0 draw with Leeds.
We put in a big shift at the weekend and haven't been given a big turnaround here. I don't see our back four changing after six clean sheets in our last seven games in all competitions, but I think we'll see our big guns return in attack.
Chris Wood was poor on Saturday and Joelinton also failed to make the most of the space he was afforded against Leeds. I can see a fit-again Callum Wilson coming back in up top, Allan Saint-Maximin returning down our left and Joelinton dropping back into midfield in Sean Longstaff's place.
The Geordie midfielder has been in good form, but he had a second half to forget last weekend. Joelinton's physicality and Willock's pace on the counter could also be key against an equally sprightly Arsenal side.
Prediction
Arsenal have won their last 10 league games on home turf, but they're also facing a Newcastle side who've lost once all season and kept six clean sheets in their last seven, not to mention the fact we blew them away at St James' Park back in May!
Arteta's side are made of sterner stuff these days, but I believe we have what it takes to hurt them at both ends.
Mix Wilson's return with a relentless midfield, Miggy magic and THE best defence in the Premier League, I see no reason why we won't get a result.
Prediction: Arsenal 1-1 Newcastle
