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Premier League: Arsenal vs. Newcastle United – In their Premier League match on Saturday at the Emirates, Newcastle United will be welcomed by an Arsenal team that is still suffering from an agonising injury-time goal and is hoping for a last-minute intervention.
Eddie Howe’s team had to wait until the very end to salvage a point in a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth the previous weekend, while the Gunners lost 1-0 to Porto in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League match on Wednesday night.
Record-breaking goal scoring performances in away Premier League games did not translate into an evening of continental dominance for Arsenal on Wednesday.
In their opening Champions League knockout match, which was doomed to end without a single goal being scored, a defensively sound Porto squad denied the Gunners a single opportunity on goal.
Nevertheless, Mikel Arteta’s team paid a heavy price for their ignorance in extra time, as instead of holding onto the ball and forcing a fair goalless draw, the young guns gave up the ball and allowed Galeno to pass David Raya with an incredible curler into the corner.
Though they still have 90 minutes in North London to make up for their European transgressions, the remarkably timid Gunners—who last lost a Champions League match without a shot on goal in 2011—still have a chance to redeem themselves, as Arteta’s team returns to Premier League action on a historic five-game winning streak.
Arsenal won their first five league games of the calendar year last weekend, crushing Burnley 5-0 to secure their first-ever victory.
However, Arteta’s team is still in third place in the standings, five points behind Liverpool and one behind Manchester City, who have played one more game.
Arsenal is currently chasing their third consecutive Premier League home victory after victories over Crystal Palace and Liverpool, scoring eight goals in the process.
Despite this, Arsenal still has the best defence in the division, having allowed just 22 goals to be scored, but Newcastle and Porto share a similar goal total.
Newcastle has kept their supporters captivated throughout February. Prior to last weekend’s exciting match against Bournemouth at St. James’ Park, the team shared the spoils in an eight-goal Luton Town extravaganza and defeated Nottingham Forest in a 3-2 thriller.
In the second half, Antoine Semenyo and Dominic Solanke gave the Cherries two goals each. However, Newcastle responded twice, through a penalty kick by Anthony Gordon and an unlikely source in Matt Ritchie, who extended the Magpies’ winning run in injury time.
Newcastle has only lost once in their last seven games across all competitions after losing seven of their eight games from December 7 to January 1.
They have won three and drawn two of their last five games, reigniting their European charge, even though the Champions League dream is still far off for the time being.
Newcastle’s best chance of returning to the continent right now is to unseat Brighton & Hove Albion in the Europa Conference League slot.
The Magpies are currently eighth in the table and have a seven-point deficit to close with sixth-place Manchester United.
They will be travelling to North London having scored multiple goals in their last six Premier League games.
Eddie Howe’s team has also failed to keep a clean sheet in their previous eight Premier League games, but they left the Emirates with a 0-0 draw in January of last year before winning 1-0 at St. James’ Park in November, when Gordon’s goal escaped three VAR reviews and was called a “disgrace” by a furious Arteta.
Arsenal Premier League form:
L W W W W W
Arsenal form (all competitions):
W W W W W L
Newcastle United Premier League form:
L L W D W D
Newcastle United form (all competitions):
L W W D W D
Fabio Vieira, who missed three months of action due to a groyne injury, was added to the matchday squad for Arsenal’s midweek trip to Portugal. However, Thomas Partey, who also resumed team training after a thigh operation, was left off the roster for the first leg.
Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf), and Gabriel Jesus (knee) were all missing from the defeat to Porto as well. Arteta is still very private about their individual injuries, but given the short turnaround, it seems unlikely that any of them will make a return on Saturday.
Jurrien Timber, an ACL casualty, is still out for the long haul for Arsenal, and Arteta might think about bringing in Jorginho and Emile Smith Rowe to reload his midfield if more legs are needed.
Regarding Newcastle’s availability, Callum Wilson’s strange injury against Bournemouth left the Magpies without a recognized number nine for the second straight game. Wilson’s pectoral ailment is now reported to be keeping him out for approximately 12 weeks.
But this weekend, former Arsenal trainee Joe Willock might return from a calf issue in his old haunts, and Alexander Isak (groyne) is getting close to making a comeback and might help the visitors’ offensive line.
Since hurting his wrist against Bournemouth, Fabian Schar has also participated in training; however, Sandro Tonali (suspended), Nick Pope (shoulder), Matt Targett (thigh), Joelinton (thigh), and Elliot Anderson (back) are still sidelined.
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Odegaard, Rice, Jorginho; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Dubravka; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Miley; Almiron, Gordon, Barnes
Our prediction for this match 2-1 won by arsenal
