Verdict: Draw
Best odds: 9/5
Bookmaker: 888sport
Newcastle United and Arsenal are set to clash on Saturday at St James’ Park, in a Premier League fixture which follows their contrasting performances in the Carabao Cup earlier this week.
Newcastle had an impressive 3-0 victory over holders Manchester United in tcompetition, while Arsenal’s participation ended with a 3-1 loss to West Ham United in the fourth round.
Newcastle
In a striking contrast to their clash during the final of this competition in February, when Erik ten Hag ended a six-year trophy drought for Manchester United, Newcastle exacted revenge for their previous Wembley disappointment, securing their best away victory against the Red Devils in 93 years.
Miguel Almiron’s goal, Lewis Hall’s exceptional volley, and a well-executed finish by Joe Willock cast a familiar shadow of disappointment over Old Trafford. It was a welcome change for Eddie Howe’s team after two consecutive games without a win, which included a loss to Borussia Dortmund and a 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers. They’re now gearing up for what should be an exciting quarter-final match against Chelsea.
It’s evident that Newcastle are feeling the strain of their recent Champions League endeavors. They let slip two narrow leads, both courtesy of Callum Wilson, resulting in a draw at Molineux. This leaves the Magpies in sixth place in the standings with 17 points from 10 matches.
When it comes to Champions League qualification, Howe’s team are currently seen as outsiders. Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Liverpool, and a surprise inclusion in the form of Aston Villa, who are five points ahead of Newcastle, are embroiled in an intense five-way battle for a place at Europe’s premier competition.
Nevertheless, the Magpies possess the capability to disrupt Arsenal’s title ambitions and bolster their own quest for success. They won each of their last three Premier League home matches without conceding a goal, recapturing the defensive strength that made them a formidable force last season.
Team News
Newcastle’s impressive performance at Old Trafford becomes even more praiseworthy when considering Eddie Howe’s team selection. The Magpies opted to rest several regular starters due to their growing injury list, which expanded when Matt Targett suffered a hamstring injury just five minutes into Wednesday’s match.
Targett, who was already anticipated to make way for Dan Burn, now joins the likes of Javier Manquillo (groin), Lewis Miley (due to illness), Alexander Isak (groin), Sven Botman (knee), Elliot Anderson (back), Jacob Murphy (shoulder), and Harvey Barnes (foot) on the long list of absent players for the hosts. Additionally, Sandro Tonali was unavailable due to suspension.
Despite his spirited performance and impressive goal at St James’ Park, Joe Willock is likely to be excluded from the starting lineup due to recent fitness issues. Instead, Bruno Guimaraes, Nick Pope, Kieran Trippier, Miguel Almiron, and Callum Wilson are all set to return to the starting eleven.
Arsenal
Arsenal haven’t won the League Cup since 1993, and their agonizing wait for mid-season glory will continue following an underwhelming performance at the London Stadium. Their defeat to West Ham was arguably deserved.
In their defence, it’s worth noting that luck played a role in two of the Hammers’ goals. VAR would likely have disallowed Ben White’s own goal due to Tomas Soucek’s shirt pull on Aaron Ramsdale, who was then deceived by a deflected Jarrod Bowen shot in the 60th minute.
However, nestled between those goals, Mohammed Kudus’s first touch and a precision shot into the bottom corner were nothing short of spectacular. Martin Odegaard managed to land a consolation goal for the Gunners with the last kick of the game, marking their first loss in a domestic fixture this season.
Many will argue that an early exit from the cup is a blessing in disguise as Mikel Arteta’s team competes for success in the Premier League and the Champions League. Their recent 5-0 victory over Sheffield United reaffirmed their unbeaten status 10 games into the new top-flight season, placing them second in the standings, just behind arch-rivals Spurs.
Additionally, conceding only two goals on the road, both of which occurred at Stamford Bridge last month, represents the best defensive record in the league. Arsenal also defied expectations by defeating Newcastle 2-0 at St James’ Park six months ago, especially after a previous goalless draw with Eddie Howe’s team at the Emirates.
Team News
Arteta can empathize with Howe’s challenges when it comes to midweek injuries. The Gunners suffered a setback as Emile Smith Rowe sustained a fresh knee injury before their loss to West Ham, and the unfortunate 23-year-old has been sidelined for several weeks.
In addition to Smith Rowe, Thomas Partey (muscle) and Gabriel Jesus (hamstring) are not expected to return to action for Arsenal until late November or early December. Furthermore, Jurrien Timber is still on the challenging path to recovery from his ACL injury.
The return of Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Declan Rice, and William Saliba to the Arsenal lineup will be a welcome sight for fans. Meanwhile, Aaron Ramsdale, who did not have the best of games at the London Stadium, will yield the goalkeeper position back to David Raya.
Conclusion
Newcastle certainly deserve significant praise for their convincing victory against Manchester United, but it’s worth noting that many teams facing a struggling Manchester United this season have given Erik ten Hag’s side a tough challenge. Arsenal, on the other hand, had reason to be disappointed by two unfortunate goals conceded at the London Stadium.
Both teams will welcome key players back into their starting lineups. Considering Newcastle’s strong home defense and Arsenal’s exceptional defensive record on the road, it’s likely that we’ll see a low-scoring match that ends in a draw, allowing the Gunners to maintain their unbeaten record in the top-flight.
Verdict: Draw
Best odds: 9/5
Bookmaker: 888sport
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