Arsenal will entertain Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium hoping to get a win which would take them back into the top 4. The Gunners are in a good run of form so they will fancy their chances of getting a favourable result on Monday night. However, the Magpies are defensively solid and know how to frustrate their opponents away from home.
Thus, this contest has the makings of one team going all out for the win while the other side sits back, soaks up the pressure and tries to hit their opponents on the counter. All in all, it would be a fascinating tactical battle between two great Spanish managers.
Talking Tactics
The Gunners will lineup in a 3-4-1-2 formation as they look to open up the Newcastle defence by playing Mesut Ozil in the number 10 role just behind the striking pair of Lacazette and Aubameyang. Emery could also opt for some added protection at the back by playing three men in defence so that he can neutralise the threats of Rondon and Perez, who have both been amongst the goals for Newcastle in recent times.
Rafael Benitez could opt to go for a 3-4-2-1 formation when his team is in possession while that formation could be tweaked to a 5-4-1 when Newcastle does not have the ball. This system has worked well for the Magpies in the recent league matches so there is a high likelihood that their strategy would be the same for this upcoming clash at North London.
Team News
Arsenal
Lucas Torreira is suspended for this clash while Granit Xhaka is also a significant doubt to start on Monday night due to a thigh problem. Hector Bellerin, Rob Holding and Danny Welbeck remain long-term casualties for Emery’s side.
Arsenal Predicted XI: Bernd Leno, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Laurent Koscielny, Shkodran Mustafi, Sead Kolasinac, Granit Xhaka, Aaron Ramsey, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Mesut Ozil, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette
Newcastle United
Sean Longstaff will miss the remainder of this campaign due to a serious knee injury. Fabian Schar will also be unavailable as he is suspended for this encounter. Other than that, Benitez will have a full squad to choose from ahead of this clash at the Emirates.
Newcastle United Predicted XI: Martin Dúbravka, Paul Dummett, Federico Fernández, Florian Lejeune, Matt Ritchie, Isaac Hayden, Jonjo Shelvey, DeAndre Yedlin, Miguel Almiron, Ayoze Perez, Salomon Rondon
Key Men
Arsenal
Both Aubameyang and Lacazette will play pivotal roles in determining whether the Gunners can break down a defensively resolute Newcastle side. Arsenal’s back three of Sokratis, Koscielny and Mustafi will also need to be at the top of their game if they are to stop an in-form Salomon Rondon from scoring on Monday.
Newcastle United
Both Rondon and Perez will have to share the goal-scoring burden at the Emirates while Almiron and Ritchie act as the facilitators from the wide areas. Dummett, Fernandez and Lejeune will also need to be at their best to cope with the absence of Fabian Schar, who is suspended for this match.
Odds
Arsenal win – 2/5
Draw – 17/4
Newcastle United win – 15/2
