Arsenal were dumped out of the EFL Cup at West Ham on Wednesday but they head to Newcastle (KO 17:30, Saturday) with the intention of maintaining their unbeaten status in the Premier League.
The Gunners were 5-0 winners at home to Sheffield United last Saturday but they can expect stiff resistance from the Magpies, who are unbeaten in six league fixtures.
- Arsenal to win
- Under 2.5 goals
- Anthony Gordon to be carded
Gunners To Learn From ELF Exit
Arsenal were clearly irritated by their 3-1 loss away to West Ham in the EFL Cup fourth round but they can finish the week on a positive note by defeating Newcastle at St James’ Park.
The Gunners had hoped to keep competing on all fronts but they were far from their best at the London Stadium on Wednesday and could have no complaints over the 3-1 defeat.
West Ham looked hungrier all over the pitch and had established a 3-0 lead by the time that Arsenal stars Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard were introduced to the fray.
Mikel Arteta admitted to being disappointed with himself after the midweek defeat but he should send out a much stronger side at the weekend and is likely to get the response he craves.
There should be a steelier edge about the Gunners with Declan Rice coming back into the starting line up and the offensive quality of Saka, Odegaard and Martinelli should make a difference against an injury-hit Newcastle side.
Newcastle were 3-0 winners away to a shambolic Manchester United in the EFL Cup fourth round but they were far less impressive when drawing 2-2 at Wolves in last Saturday’s Premier League clash.
Eddie Howe’s side succumbed 1-0 at home to Borussia Dortmund on Champions League matchday three and their mixed recent form is a concern as they prepare to take on one of the main title contenders.
Defence Could Lead To Low-Scoring Game
Each of the last five encounters between Newcastle and Arsenal have generated fewer than three goals and the low-scoring trend may continue this weekend.
Arsenal once held a reputation for being too easy to play against and they had a famously negative experience on Tyneside in May 2022 when a 2-0 loss effectively ended their hopes of finishing in the top four.
They were much more resilient during the 2022/23 campaign and have shown defensive stability this term by conceding just eight goals in 10 league games.
Arteta’s side have conceded just two goals on their Premier League travels and they will need to keep things tight against the Magpies, who have kept three clean sheets in five home league games.
Neither side are used to shipping lots of goals and it might take just one moment of brilliance to settle the result on Saturday.
Newcastle Winger Could Be Cautioned
Anthony Gordon leads the Newcastle card count with five Premier League cautions and he could see yellow against the Gunners.
An aggressive press is a crucial element to the way that Newcastle play and Gordon is among their most enthusiastic players when it comes to closing down opponents and making tackles.
However, Gordon frequently tests the patience of officials and looks a strong candidate to enter referee Stuart Attwell’s notebook.
