2023 couldn't have got off to a much better start for Arsenal. They began the New Year with a seven point lead at the top of the Premier League and were able to sit back and enjoy as London rivals Chelsea and Tottenham both dropped crucial points. Now though comes a huge test.
Newcastle on Tuesday marks the first in a run of potentially season defining games for the Gunners who face Spurs away and Manchester United at home in their subsequent two league fixtures. Some may argue that the visit of the Magpies is the toughest of the lot. Eddie Howe's side may have dropped points against Leeds on New Year's Eve, but no one at Arsenal is underestimating the challenge they pose.
"A very good team," Arteta said of his opponents in his pre-match press conference. "Very well coached. I think what Eddie has done in that short period of time, you look at the numbers, it’s incredible. Big credit to him and his coaching staff. Then they have created a belief, a big momentum around the team that they play the same way against any opponent."
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Despite the tricky run, Arsenal do have the luxury of an FA Cup tie against lower league opposition on Monday against Oxford. Even though this will be their third match in eight days, the expectation is that they will go strong.
That means Aaron Ramsdale starting in goal despite some mixed reviews of his displays on the south coast. For what it's worth the England keeper made some fine saves and dealt well with corners in tricky conditions and will surely be focusing on the positives that come from that.
William Saliba will also be trying to find plus points to concentrate on after a difficult couple of games post the World Cup. Two consecutive errors have cost Arsenal goals, and alongside Gabriel he'll be hoping to keep a clean sheet this time around against a potent Newcastle attack.
At full back we really saw the influence that Ben White and Oleksandr Zinchenko have on Arsenal's ability to control games after they were taken off at Brighton. The pair will surely start again after unconvincing cameos from Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu that saw the Gunners cede the initiative on the south coast.
Into midfield and Thomas Partey has been playing some of his best football over the past couple of games. Expect him to start again alongside Granit Xhaka who is on something of a goal drought by his own standards this season having not scored in five games.
Completing the trio will be Martin Odegaard who's performance and assist for Gabriel Martinelli in particular, put him up there with the very best in the Premier League. An equally impressive display in a game of this magnitude will surely solidify that status.
There are limited alterations in the forward line that Mikel Arteta can make for Newcastle, so expect Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli all to start again. On the bench though Emile Smith Rowe is getting closer. Whether this game is too soon for him yet ahead of Monday's FA Cup tie with Oxford remains to be seen.
Arsenal predicted XI vs Newcastle - Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard; Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli.
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