A 1-0 defeat at Porto in the Champions League round of 16 first leg threatening to blow them off their path, Arsenal welcome Newcastle United to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday night with the pressure firmly on them. By the time they kick off, Mikel Arteta's side could well be four points behind Manchester City albeit with a game in hand on both them and Liverpool.
Picking up three points against Newcastle could be a struggle for the Gunners, who have failed to score in three of their last four meetings with Eddie Howe's men. Their previous encounter, a 1-0 win for the hosts at St. James' Park, was another tempestuous clash between these two, one settled in contentious fashion through Anthony Gordon's second-half strike. Another result like that would put any title bid in severe jeopardy. Here is how you can watch the match and what you need to know:
Viewing information
- Date: Saturday, Feb. 24 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Emirates Stadium -- London, England
- Live stream: Peacock
- Odds: Arsenal -300; Draw +450; Newcastle +600
Golazo Starting XI Newsletter
Get your Soccer Fix from Around the Globe
Your ultimate guide to the Beautiful Game as our experts take you beyond the pitch and around the globe with news that matters.
Thanks for signing up!
Keep an eye on your inbox.
Sorry!
There was an error processing your subscription.
Storylines
Arsenal: Defeat in Portugal was a damaging but not cataclysmic blow for Arsenal, who are still favorites to reach the Champions League quarterfinals, but a second loss in a week would raise the prospect of a promising season going into a tailspin. With 72 hours between the games, Arteta may be inclined to rotate his side somewhat with Jorginho under consideration to start in midfield after an outstanding display at St. James' Park last season. Thomas Partey's return to fitness adds to options in the engine room, the Ghana international stayed back when the rest of the squad flew out in a bid to get fit for Saturday.
Still, Arsenal can be confident that their defense will hold firm, particularly against Newcastle, who have not scored a Premier League goal at the Emirates Stadium since Ayoze Perez found the net in December 2014. Across the last six games, the Gunners' defense have given up shots worth just 2.91 expected goals (xG), a third of which came from Galeno's remarkable double miss on Wednesday night.
Newcastle: When Gordon scrabbled the ball over the Arsenal line in early November, everything looked rosy for the Magpies. Victory had them firmly in the top four race, perhaps even outsiders to do better than just qualify for the Champions League, while qualification for the knockout stages seemed a probability. Injuries and a baffling loss of defensive form mean even getting into Europe next season looks to be a challenge for Howe's men.
In the 14 league matches since beating Arsenal, Newcastle have taken just 17 points while conceding 30 goals. Remarkably their defensive record could have been worse. The 33.5 xG they have allowed is the worst margin in the Premier League by a sizeable margin, more than four 'ahead' of Luton in 19th. Bukayo Saka et al will be licking their lips.
Prediction
This has quickly become one of the Premier League's more combustible matches and it's fair to assume that Newcastle will up the defensive intensity that they have shown lately. That might just be enough to hold out against an Arsenal side that will surely contain a few tired legs. Pick: Arsenal 1, Newcastle 1
