Key occasions
Wonderful save by Raya!
6 min The primary large likelihood goes to Newcastle. Raya’s dodgy straight cross is learn by Tonali, who finds Wilson within the penalty space. He flicks the ball neatly to the onrushing Guimaraes, whose shot is pushed up within the air by Raya after which flapped away desperately whereas he’s nonetheless on the ground. The second was very important with Barnes sniffing round for a tap-in. It was Raya’s mistake that led to the possibility however he made up for it with a very good save.
4 min Burn makes a superb sliding deal with on White close to the precise fringe of the penalty space, although it regarded like White was offside.
2 min Newcastle have already crushed Arsenal 3 times this season: 1-0 within the league at St James’, 2-0 in each legs of the Carabao Cup semi-final.
1 min Newcastle kick off from proper to left as we watch. This might be a lot of enjoyable.
A reminder of at present’s groups
Arsenal (4-3-3) Raya; White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli.
Substitutes: Neto, Tierney, Zinchenko, Calafiori, Jorginho, Henry-Francis, Nwaneri, Havertz, Sterling.
Newcastle (3-4-2-1) Pope; Schar, Botman, Burn; Murphy, Guimaraes, Tonali, Livramento; Gordon, Barnes; Wilson.
Substitutes: Dubravka, Ruddy, Lascelles, Krafth, Willock, Longstaff, Miley, Osula, Neave.
Referee Simon Hooper.
Nottingham Forest survived 17 minutes of added time to win 2-1 on the London Stadium. Because of this the Champions League race is tighter an outdated rocker’s trousers. And never simply any outdated rocker: we’re speaking Nigel Tufnel in his seventies, nonetheless residing the dream.
“Be fascinating to see if/how Eddie Howe tweaks the system with the much less cell Wilson up high,” writes Chris Paraskevas. “I do know Isak lacking by way of harm might be overdue and it would even communicate to our final recreation being a precedence within the supervisor’s eyes?
“I’m taking Isak’s absence as a foul omen to go along with my physique shutting down from my caffeine withdrawals this weekend (it’s a factor) – and simply having walked out to a kind of very dangerous-looking Aussie yard spiders spinning an internet within the doorway at 1am…”
1am on a Monday morning. Let no one doubt your dedication to Sparklemotion Newcastle United. How did you change into a fan initially?
Newcastle might go above Arsenal at present, and Eddie Howe isn’t comfortable that many individuals nonetheless understand them a deluxe feeder membership.
It’s a supply of frustration as a result of I don’t see why our gamers are getting linked, right here, there and all over the place with different golf equipment. I’d prefer to suppose the gamers are comfortable right here. I’d prefer to suppose once more that they’re seeing us develop and develop right into a workforce that hopefully can compete on the high finish of the division.
Jonathan Wilson takes Arsenal’s temperature
Mikel Arteta additionally spoke of “having to play for the sixth time this season with 10 males”. Written down, that might be seen as additional criticism of his squad, however the tone advised this was a weird misfortune that had befallen Arsenal when in fact the wild lunge that introduced Mikel Merino a second yellow card at Anfield was as clear a reserving as there might ever be. Arsenal have lacked self-discipline, their report of six pink playing cards not solely the worst within the league, however no less than twice as unhealthy as all however two different sides.
He’s again!
Group information: Havertz on the bench, Isak out
Mikel Arteta makes a single change from the honourable draw at Anfield every week in the past. Declan Rice returns instead of the suspended Mikel Merino. Kai Havertz is on the bench after a speedy restoration from harm.
Newcastle are with out Alexander Isak, who has a minor groin harm, so Callum Wilson begins up entrance. Eddie Howe sticks with the again three that labored so nicely towards Chelsea within the first half final weekend – and, extra importantly, towards Arsenal within the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final. Wilson’s inclusion is the one change.
Arsenal (4-3-3) Raya; White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli.
Substitutes: Neto, Tierney, Zinchenko, Calafiori, Jorginho, Henry-Francis, Nwaneri, Havertz, Sterling.
Newcastle (3-4-2-1) Pope; Schar, Botman, Burn; Murphy, Guimaraes, Tonali, Livramento; Gordon, Barnes; Wilson.
Substitutes: Dubravka, Ruddy, Lascelles, Krafth, Willock, Longstaff, Miley, Osula, Neave.
Referee Simon Hooper.
Preamble
Arsenal got here into the 2024-25 season determined to keep away from ending second once more for the third yr in a row. However this situation most likely wasn’t what they’d in thoughts. In mid-February, with 13 video games remaining, they had been nonetheless on Liverpool’s coat-tails within the title race and 12 factors forward of seventh-placed Newcastle. Solely two factors separate them now, so Newcastle will leapfrog Arsenal in the event that they win on the Emirates at present.
It’s all a bit 1997, when Robbie Elliott’s purpose at Highbury on the penultimate weekend finally clinched second place for Newcastle forward of Arsenal and Liverpool. That achievement, the final time Newcastle completed within the high two, and it was vital as a result of it was the primary season by which the runners-up certified for the Champions League. With out Elliott’s purpose, Tino Asprilla and Keith Gillespie’s glory night time towards Barcelona wouldn’t have occurred. Lately you solely want to complete within the high 5 – or seventeenth, however that’s one other story – to qualify.
Arsenal aren’t fairly there but. They want some extent both at present or away to Southampton subsequent weekend to keep away from touchdown on a snake and sliding all the way down to sixth.
Newcastle want yet another win, both at present or at residence to Everton subsequent Sunday. However they, most likely greater than Arsenal given the trajectories of each side, would love to complete second.
Kick off 4.30pm.
