Arsenal face a tough test against Newcastle United in the Premier League tonight, but victory for the Gunners will send them 10 points clear at the top of the league.
Arsenal have returned from the World Cup break exactly where they left off, with Mikel Arteta's side extending their lead at the top of the Premier League table to seven points following the last round of fixtures. Goals from Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli handed Arsenal a 4-2 win away to Brighton, whilst fellow title contenders Man City were held to a shock 1-1 draw against Everton.
Tonight's clash will be one of Arsenal's toughest of the season, with Newcastle currently third in the table having conceded just 11 goals all season, giving them the best defensive record in the league. Arsenal have lost just once in their last eight games against the Magpies, though that defeat was the most recent meeting between the two sides where Eddie Howe's side beat the Gunners 2-0 last May.
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So, can Arsenal go 10 points clear at the top of the table when they face Newcastle tonight? We simulated the game to find out.
We simulated Arsenal vs Newcastle to get a score prediction
To complete this simulation, we used FIFA 23 and updated the squads with the latest injuries and suspensions.
We predict that the Gunners could line up in a 4-3-3 formation, with their line-up as follows: Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Partey, Odegaard, Xhaka; Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli.
We predict that Newcastle could set up in a 4-3-3 formation, with their line-up as follows: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Willock; Almiron, Wilson, Joelinton.
Arsenal started on top at the Emirates Stadium, with the Gunners dominating the midfield battle in the opening stages. Gabriel Martinelli hit the post after 20 minutes with an acrobatic effort, but the first goal arrived for Arsenal just before the break through Thomas Partey.
Nketiah was dispossessed on the edge of the Newcastle box, but as Sven Botman tried to play a pass forward to Bruno Guimaraes, Partey pickpocketed the midfielder and charged back towards goal.
With plenty of options in support, no defender closed down the Ghana international, and Partey let fly from distance with his effort flying past Nick Pope and into the net.
Newcastle made two subs at the break to try and get back into the game, and the visitors equalised after 54 minutes when Miguel Almiron stole the ball off Oleksandr Zinchenko on the edge of the box and drilled a shot under Aaron Ramsdale. The goal was against the run of play, but Arsenal regained the lead after 74 minutes through Nketiah.
Once again, the midfield was the root of the goal for the Gunners, with Odegaard threading a perfectly weighted through ball to meet the run of Nketiah. The striker got the wrong side of the defender as he broke through on goal, and a simple finish from close range sent his side 2-1 ahead.
Desperate for an equaliser, the Magpies started to push forward in numbers, leaving themselves more exposed than usual at the back. A rapid counterattack saw Arteta's side push for a third late on, and a bit of fortune helped Arsenal make it 3-1 and confirm the win.
Ben White set Saka free down the left after a Newcastle attack was halted, and the Gunners outnumbered the Magpies as they surged forward. Saka fizzed a low cross into the box for Nketiah whose original shot was smothered by Pope, but luckily for Arsenal the ball fell to Odegaard, and with the 'keeper off his line, the Norwegian chipped the ball into the empty net to claim the three points.
FIFA 23 predicted final score: Arsenal 3-1 Newcastle United
Here are the full-time match stats.
FIFA 23 predicts that Arsenal could pass one of the toughest tests of the season with an impressive win against Newcastle United. Victory would take the Gunners 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League, whilst Eddie Nketiah could continue to impress in Gabriel Jesus' absence against a stern defensive side.
What do you think the final score will be? Let us know in the comments!
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