Newcastle are set to travel to north London to take on Arsenal tomorrow evening, but will do so without five first-team stars.
The Gunners set the mark at present given that they are comfortably atop of the Premier League table, with Manchester City and Newcastle their nearest challengers with a seven and nine point disadvantage.
This could well prove to be one of the bigger matches of the campaign in that regard, given that it could well be one of those ‘six-pointer’ matches that you hear of at the top and bottom ends of the table, and you would have to believe that the Toon’s slim title hopes would be all-but over should they lose and drop to a massive 12 points behind us.
As much as Newcastle aren’t being talked about as potential champions, with many believing it is has now become a two-horse race between Manchester City and the Gunners, they are right there in the midst, albeit having played a fixture more than the top two.
They have a tough challenge ahead when they come to the Emirates on January 3, a task made much tougher by their personnel issues. They will be without summer signing Alexander Isak, Matt Targett, Jonjo Shelvey, Emil Krafth and Paul Dummett on Tuesday, and while they may have to consider entering into the transfer market to cover some of those issues, signings are extremely unlikely to be made in time for the fixture with the league leaders.
Would a full-strength Newcastle side have been one to fear tomorrow? Should Newcastle be considered title rivals?
Patrick
Bull…how many have started a game for Newcastle this season..taggart hasn’t played in 11 months.
It’s really good to know we have physically fit players now, but I fear injuries may arise against a very physical Newcastle side,
It would have been lovely to have Gabriel and Marquinhos in this fixture.
you’re right
6
Well all 5 of them players are not in the strongest team we’ve been playing for months so hardly gonna make a massive difference is it ??
Newcastle has been without those players for a while now. Some, way before the world cup and yet, have performed formidably well.
This is no boost for us.
However, we have players who are in the form of their lives and can walk into any team in the world currently. So I know they wouldn’t be bothered so much about what player they are up against.
COYG💪🏿
Arsenal is simply the best team in Europe for now.
You didn’t even list ASM as part of the potential absentees and you call it a boost Hmmmmm. The only consolation is that our players are in form
For sure, a tough, physical game. We need to bring our “A” game, for the entire 90 minutes.
ONLY ONE OF THOSE FIVE CAN BE CONSIDERED OF ANY TRUE QUALITY. Another hyped headline that gives a wrong impression to JA readers. Sigh!
Of course Newcastle are title rivals, as are anyone in the top 6. There is a long way to go yet!
Even if Allan Padew the Newcaste’s manager fields iron cast made Magipies for their crucial Epl match encounter away to Arsenal tomorrow night.
The Gunners will still subdue the Magipies in the game to beat them. And will beat them thoroughly in the match.
Talkless that Allan Padew will at Emirates Stadium tomorrow night fields a humanbeings Magipies players for the match.
But despite that the Magipies are reknown for their being physical in the Epl matches this season. However, the Gunners are more than capable to nullify the magipies physicallity presence in the match. By employing their superiority in tactical game playing in the match that will cancell out the Magipies physicallity.
But haven my saying all these my sayings. I want to caution the Gunners to desist from underestimate the Magipies resolve to snatch a win or steal a point in the match. So that they can keep alive their unprobable Epl title win charge this season. And also make the top4 place finish.
The Magipies could fight with teeth and nails in the match to make sure they don’t return home empty handed in the match.
But notwithstanding any Magipies resolve to remain in hunt for the top4 place finish this season.
The Gunners should approach the match with confidence to win it. And play the game confidently keeping to their games plan to undo the Magipies in the match. And indolence then with unrival superior tactical game playing. Which the Magipies won’t have any answer for to resist the Gunners from beating them. But succumb to the Gunners bearing them absolutely in the match.
Samuel, its Eddie Howe up there now, think you still remember that terrible 4 : 4 draw from way back, but I was devastated too.
Looking at the next 4 League fixtures following this match for both teams they have a much kinder run of games so it is crucial we win tomorrow to open up a 12 point gap with a game in hand over them.
Arsenal-Spurs(A) Man Utd H) Everton(A) Brentford(H)
Newcastle-Fulham(H) Crystal Palace(A) West Ham(H) Bournemouth(A)
GoonerP, we must not be fool one bit, in that five I haven’t seen you name Maximin, Almoiron, Gumaries, Trippier, Pope, and a lot more so am not sure those you mentioned would make the bench if fit.
But the Mag rims are a robust and physical out fit, and nothing they would like more than to come here and take a major scalp , they will play one way direct and in our face later they have nothing to lose they are already overachieving.
They are a mean bunch that that doesn’t give away much,
Sound advice, Gunsmoke. The mighty Reds got stung by the Bees today. Lesson is: the league is hard to predict. We need our A game for every match.
Newcastle are now a team to be recon with in the EPL but they will also face one of the toughest challenge today and of course they will be beaten
We must play at our full strength regardless of who is on four yellow cards.
All Gunner’s needs is 3 points, which is very crucial for our tittle race. I wish the Gunner’s successful outcome.
We have to find a way to win no matter what the only thing required is a top perfomance
I mean, strong or weak, Newcastle is on the up and Arsenal have to be at their best to beat them. That said, a win would certainly put Arsenal firmly at the top and make City as our only real rivals for the title.
With 20+ games still to be played, anyone in the top 6 could still win the league, even spurs or Liverpool.
Best starts after 16 games in the top tier:
60/61 Spurs 46 finished 1st
17/18 City 46 finished 1st
19/20 Liverpool 46 finished 1st
05/06 Chelsea 43 finished 1st
22/23 Arsenal 43 finished ?
All well and good claiming Spurs or Liverpool could come back based on it technically being possible but history would suggest City/Newcastle have their work cut out so it’s next to impossible for the likes of Spurs/Liverpool to turn it around by that much at this point. The year Arteta finished 8th we had the 2nd best form in the league for the last 22 games but we were so far behind it didn’t matter. For United, Spurs or Liverpool to win the title not only do they need to improve their form but they’d require some drop off from Us, City and Newcastle it’s just not likely. Leicester City title win unlikely and Leicester were either 2nd or 1st by this point that year.
I think u want to play a mind game with us,but mikel is the professor of mind games..
This article is only based on gunering viewership. I don’t see any starter out of the 5 mentioned players. Newcastle is as intact as ever
Isak was starting but I agree overall and Isak has been injured for ages now.
That many times i have seen opponents getting weaker posts, maximum times arsenal jas drawn or lost
It can be fake news to lull the gunners.
I think MA is too smart and pragmatic and is prepared for everything thrown at him.
Watch out for the match officials .I expect our
Norway star to be heavily marked and tackled
robustly
It’s up to the ref to dish out the cards for tackles that go beyond acceptable but you never know
Another click bait? Surely the author knows ONLY ONE PLAYER in that list is a bona fide starter! I fell for the title ’cause i hadnt heard of new injury concerns at NewSaudi. Either way, I expect us to give them hell.