Premier League leaders Arsenal will welcome top-four hopefuls Newcastle United to Emirates Stadium this Tuesday, with both teams looking for maximum points.
Venue: Emirates Stadium (London)
Key Statistics
Arsenal have won their last five Premier League games, scoring 16 goals.
They are unbeaten in their last ten PL games (W9, D1).
The Gunners have kept five clean sheets in their last ten games.
Newcastle United are unbeaten in their 14 competitive games (W10, D4).
They have kept five consecutive clean sheets ahead of this game.
The Magpies have conceded just 11 league goals this season, which is the fewest in the league.
They have won their last three away games.
Newcastle have yet to win their first game of a new calendar year on nine occasions in the last decade (W1, D2, L7).
Eddie Howe has lost his last six away visits to the Emirates Stadium.
Head to head
Arsenal lead in the head-to-head record in this fixture as they have 33 wins in 54 Premier League meetings. Newcastle United has just 11 wins.
The visitors have also lost their last eleven visits to the Emirates Stadium.
Latest performances in all competitions
Arsenal: W-W-L-W-W
Newcastle United: D-W-W-W-W
Arsenal
Arsenal will look to begin 2023 the way they ended the previous year when they welcome Newcastle United to Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.
Despite beginning the year with a loss, the Gunners enjoyed a remarkable 2022 as they eventually won the most points in the calendar year for teams in the Premier League.
They also ended the year with a huge 4-2 win over Brighton. The win, which was secured courtesy of goals by Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli, ensured that Mikel Arteta’s men ended the year seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
Despite their lead over City, the Arsenal boss is keeping his feet firmly on the ground, with Arteta pointing out that their seven-point lead “means nothing” if they subsequently slip up. However, it would require a monumental collapse now for them to miss out on the PL table, as no team entering a new year with a 7+ point lead has ever failed to win the Premier League (PL).
Meanwhile, the Gunners have not lost their opening league game in consecutive calendar years since 1995-96, a record they’ll be hoping to extend after their defeat on New Year’s Day in 2022.
The hosts are likely to keep that record intact by building on their 100% winning record in PL home games this season. Should they achieve that, it will be the first time in club history that they would have won each opening eight home league game.
Possible Arsenal starting line-up
Aaron Ramsdale; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel, Oleksander Zinchenko; Martin Ødegaard, Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka; Bukayo Saka, Edward Nketiah, Gabriel Martinelli.
Injured: Gabriel Jesus, Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith-Rowe
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Newcastle United
Like the Gunners, Newcastle United also enjoyed a remarkable 2022.
The Magpies went from relegation candidates to title contenders in a year thanks to the brilliant recruitment that followed their takeover by their Saudi owners and the good work done by head coach Eddie Howe.
Under the former Bournemouth coach, Newcastle ended 2022 sitting fourth in the table for most points in the calendar year (71 points, only Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City won more points in 2022).
In the current Premier League season, Newcastle are sitting in third place, despite a disappointing goalless draw with Leeds United in their last outing. However, the result extended their unbeaten run in competitive games to 14 matches and also saw them record a fifth consecutive clean sheet.
They will fancy their chances here given that they have won their last three away games. They have already taken points from three of last season’s four highest-placed clubs (W2, D1, L1) and will offer a stern test to Arsenal even though they have lost their last eleven visits to the Emirates Stadium.
Possible Newcastle starting line-up
Nick Pope; Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schär, Sven Botman, Dan Burn; Sean Longstaff, Bruno Guimarães, Joseph Willock; Miguel Almirón, Callum Wilson, Joelinton.
Injured: Matt Targett, Paul Dummett, Alexander Isak, Jonjo Shelvey
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Odds
Prediction
Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle
