Arsenl kick-off the new year by welcoming Newcastle United to the Emirates this Saturday, in their 20th league match of the season.
The Gunners have had a hugely successful 2015, with highlights including their FA Cup success, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League knockout stages, amassing more league points than any other team and ending the calendar year at pole position in the table. Winning 37 of the 55 games in the year, players like Mesut Özil, Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez have stepped up to the mark and are driving the north London side to the finish line. With his best chance in years to deliver a first league title since 2004, Arsène Wenger is delivering the results to match his aim.
Last Monday, Arsenal handled Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth with ease, with a comfortable 2-0 home win. Goals from Gabriel, a first on the continent for the Brazilian, and Mesut Özil wrapped up the three points on what was a much-needed victory for Arsène Wenger. A particular highlight was the performance of the aforementioned German, who was at his elegant best once again, stringing together chance after chance for his forwards and was unlucky to only register one assist.
Newcastle are suffering another season of despair, with relegation being, once again, a real prospect. The appointment of ex-England boss Steve McClaren has proven to be a failure so far, and the summer signings have been, on the whole, ineffective, despite how solid this Magpies team may look on paper. Newcastle sit 18th in the league table, two points from safety at the moment. With another 23 points needed to reach the heavily-publicised “40-point safety net” that near-guarantees survival, that total becomes more and more distant as the matchdays go by. Their last match was a 1-0 loss to West Brom at the Hawthorns, in what was a tough and drawn-out afternoon for both sides, with the match being a tight affair only decided by a goalkeeping error by Premier League debutant Karl Darlow. The facts on paper make the upcoming match-up on Saturday massively in the Gunners’ favour.
A player Newcastle need to watch out for is Özil – obviously. The German should have a field day against what is a dysfunctional and under-par Newcastle defence. The likes of Giroud and Theo Walcott have great scoring records against the Magpies, so Özil should be able to leech off their confidence and continue his great form.
A player Arsenal need to watch out for is Georginio Wijnaldum. The tricky Dutchman hasn’t made too big of a mark in the last few weeks but his quality still remains for all to see. Whilst his team-mates may not be able to give him the service and help he requires, the ex-PSV man still can provide a moment of unexpected magic to flip the game on its head – it remains to be seen whether that spark will come on Saturday.
Match facts
– Arsenal have won all of the last five meetings between the two teams.
– Newcastle have lost 18 of the last 29 matches against the Gunners, winning three of those 29.
– The last time these two faced off, Newcastle didn’t manage a single shot on target in what was a 1-0 win for the Gunners earlier this season.
– Olivier Giroud has scored eight times in seven league appearances against the Magpies.
– Mesut Özil is only four assists away from equalling Thierry Henry’s record for most assists in a league season. The German has the best assist to game ratio in Premier League history.
– Newcastle have failed to score in ten of their last fifteen away games, whilst eighteen goals in the last three meetings between the two at the Emirates.
– Arsenal have won six of their last seven home games.
Team news
Mathieu Flamini could return after a minor ankle injury, although Calum Chambers played well enough against Bournemouth to perhaps hold down a starting spot for the upcoming match. Alexis Sanchez is training but won’t be available after suffering a setback a little under two weeks ago. Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla, Francis Coquelin, Danny Welbeck, Tomas Rosicky and Mikel Arteta all remain injured.
Vurnon Anita is injured with a hamstring problem, in-form ‘keeper Rob Elliot is battling to try and stay in team selection following a stomach bug, whilst Rolando Aarons and Emmanuel Riviere are back in training. Overall, Newcastle are very thin on the ground.
Predicted XIs
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Cech; Debuchy, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Monreal; Ramsey, Chambers; Campbell, Özil, Walcott; Giroud.
Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Elliot; Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett; Colback, Tiote; Sissoko, Perez, Wijnaldum; Mitrovic.
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