Arsenal will be aiming to extend their lead at the top of the English Premier League table when they take on High-flyers Newcastle United on Tuesday night.
The Gunners have been in fantastic form this season in the Premier League, and finished 2022 with a seven-point lead over reigning champions Manchester City after a frenzied 4-2 victory at Brighton on New Year's Eve.
The North Londoners have only dropped four points all season, but this will be one of their toughest tests. Newcastle sit third in the table with only one league defeat all season, and none on their own turf. Eddie Howe’s team have been in magnificent form throughout 2022, and have won six of the last seven games in the league.
The Magpies have endured a stunning turnaround in fortunes after finishing 2021 fearing relegation, and are now in search of Champions League football.
Outliers in the title-race, the Toon Army are flying high with swagger in their feets and scoring goals for fun, but they will have been tad disappointed to have ended 2022 with a misfiring 0-0 draw at home to Leeds United, who frustrated the hosts to grind out a result.
However, in doing so, Eddie Howe's side stretched their unbeaten across all competitions to 14 matches. Although this transformation in the club's competence was projected following the Saudi ownership, few expected it to happen so quickly and without launching into a spending spree.
The Tynesiders are more than capable to put Arsenal's title credentials to test. In fact, they dented Arsenal top-four hopes with a dominant 2-0 victory at St. James Park in the penultimate game last season, so could they ruin Arsenal’s New Year? Or will the Gunners take their revenge and continue their title charge.
Arsenal have the second-best attack in the division, with only Manchester City scoring more than their 40 goals so far this season, while Newcastle have the meanest defence in the league, having conceded just 2 goals in their last 8 league outings. So, it’s akin to a clash between an unstoppable force and an immovable object. It will be interesting to see who will come out on top in this battle.
Arsenal vs Newcastle United confirmed lineups
Arsenal XI (4-2-3-1): Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko' Xhaka, Partey; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Nketiah
Newcastle United XI (4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Botman, Schar, Burn; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Willock; Almiron, Wilson, Joelinton
Arsenal vs Newcastle LIVE updates
Arsenal's upcoming fixtures
Mikel Arteta & Co. will next take on League One Oxford United away from home in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup on Monday night, followed by a short trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to face Antonio Conte's recently uninspiring Spurs in the North London derby on January 15th.The Gunners will then round off a tricky January fixture list by hosting Erik ten Hag's resurgent Manchester United, who remain the only team to beat Arsenal in the Premier League as of yet.
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