Arsenal vs Newcastle United

Emirates Stadium forms the backdrop for a revenge-poised Premier League encounter between Arsenal and Newcastle United.

Arsenal’s quest to lift the Premier League title for the first time in two decades is firmly back on track after commencing the new calendar year with five consecutive league wins for the first time in the club’s history. Triumphs alone don’t tell the whole story, as Mikel Arteta’s free-scoring side spiced them with an eye-catching 21 goals, five of which came in a 5-0 thrashing of Burnley last weekend. Only five points adrift of table-topping Liverpool, albeit with a game in hand, the Gunners head into proceedings seeking revenge for a controversial 1-0 defeat in the reverse fixture. Arsenal can rely on their impressive home league record in 2023/24 (W9, D2, L1) and their long-standing dominance in this match-up, last losing a home league encounter against Newcastle in 2010.

On the other hand, Newcastle United’s lofty ambitions have faded amidst an injury-plagued campaign, with a whopping 12 points separating them from fourth-placed Aston Villa at the start of this round. The Magpies’ last four league outings have fluctuated between victories (2) and draws (2), though a 2-2 home stalemate against Bournemouth in the previous round left a bitter taste in everyone’s mouth. Performing on the road has been challenging for Eddie Howe’s men, yet after losing five consecutive away league matches, they’ve won the last two in a row, netting precisely three goals on each occasion. Another free-scoring showing could be mandatory, considering Newcastle’s substantial defensive woes have seen them concede 2+ goals in their last three Premier League games.