Premier League: Will the Magpies End Arsenal’s Title Challenge?

Newcastle United vs Arsenal

All roads lead to the Tyne on Sunday for the Premier League clash of the weekend when Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal continue their title push against Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United.

The Gunners hopes of winning a first top flight title in 20 years are still alive, though beginning to look like a long shot and the Premier League 2023 betting odds have taken a sharp turn towards the north. Manchester City have gone back to the top of the table following their midweek 3-0 victory over West Ham and the Sky Blue juggernaut shows no sign of slowing.

But Arsenal will fight on until all hope is gone.    

Back to the match in hand; it’s third versus second and both teams come into the game on the back of a 3-1 home win; the Magpies beating bottom club Southampton last week while the Gunners saw off a poor Chelsea in midweek.  

Newcastle United are now among the elite of the English top flight and Howe is building a team ready for the Champions League, where they will join Arsenal next year. And they could end their visitors’ title dreams on Sunday. The Gunners also need help from Leeds United, with newly appointed Sam Allardyce helicoptered in to save them. The Whites face Manchester City at the Etihad on Saturday where only a major shock will keep the Sky Blues’ lead at the top to fewer than four points.

And then Arsenal will need to beat Newcastle to keep the race alive.     

Talking Points

Wilson and Isak make a potent pair

One of the big Premier League 2023 news stories, particularly in the north east, has been the return to fitness and form of striker Callum Wilson who has scored 15 goals in this campaign. The England man struck twice as the Magpies came back from behind to beat the Saints 3-1, and that made it five goals in a week after he was on the score sheet in last week’s 6-1 destruction of Tottenham Hotspur and then bagged a brace when Newcastle beat Everton 4-1.

Manuel Almiron was the man of the moment in the first half of the campaign but all the excitement around St James’ Park is now centred on the form of Alexander Isak who scored twice against Spurs. That made it ten for the campaign, in 17 matches, since Isak’s arrival from Real Sociedad last summer. The 23 year old Swede has grown in confidence and has been likened to Premier League legend Thierry Henry, using his pace and skill to find positions to score or assist, and he has a cool head in front of goal.

Howe has built a team on a solid defensive base with clever recruits, such as goalkeeper Nick Pope and wing back Kieran Tripper, he has a midfield ace in Bruno Guimaraes, and now, in Wilson and Isak he has a strike pair to take on Europe.            

Kiwior set for second start

Arsenal’s defensive woes may have become a little worse after centre back Gabriel was injured during the win over Chelsea and he looks likely to join long term absentee William Saliba on the absentee list. But Arteta was delighted by the performance of Polish centre back Jakub Kiwior, who put on an accomplished display in his first start for the Gunners since his transfer from Spezia in January. The 23 year old has impressed in training and Arteta dropped Rob Holding to give Kiwior a chance; and he took it with both hands, keeping Chelsea’s expensively assembled front line quiet.

Kiwior will surely keep his place and Ben White is a choice top move back into the centre from right back, unless Arteta wants to draft Holding back in. The Gunners have conceded ten goals in four games so the Arsenal boss will be keen to get it right. Arsenal totally bossed their midweek match with Chelsea, storming into a 3-0 lead but they did go off the boil in the second half and they can’t afford to do that against Newcastle.

If they can keep it tight the Gunners have the firepower to win any game. Skipper Martin Odegaard scored twice against Chelsea while Gabriel Martinelli, with 15 goals for the season and Bukayo Saka, with 11 assists, have been superb throughout.  

History

The Gunners have bossed this relationship in the Premier League era with 37 wins from 59 games while the Magpies have managed 11 wins and 11 draws. But Newcastle won this fixture 2-0 last term and battled out a 0-0 draw at the Emirates this season.

And the Geordies have the better recent form, winning five of the last six games while Arsenal have managed just two wins, drawing three and losing one.

Betting Tip

Newcastle are at SBOTOP odds of 2.33 to win this clash while Arsenal are at 2.59 and the draw is 3.20. This will be the Gunners’ biggest test in the run in and, with some defensive frailty about to face a quickly improving Newcastle attack, I fear for the north Londoners.   

And, for a correct score line, 2-1 to Newcastle is priced at 8.20.

 

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