Newcastle reached their first quarter-final of the season with a 2-0 win over a rotated Chelsea team on Wednesday, while Arsenal cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory against Preston North End. This matchup between two of English football's legendary unbeaten teams—Preston back in 1888-89 and Arsenal in 2003-04—saw both title contenders handle their business with ease in the EFL Cup last 16.
Arsenal's young star, 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri, added to the excitement, scoring a beautifully curled shot in only his second start for the club, alongside goals from Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz. Arsenal could have used some of that spark against Liverpool last weekend when, after taking a 2-1 lead into halftime, they stumbled in the second half and ultimately had to settle for a 2-2 draw, thanks to Mohamed Salah’s equalizer.
With a five-point gap between them and league leaders Manchester City, Arsenal’s title hopes have taken a slight hit. They've allowed multiple goals in four of their last five Premier League games, leaking nine goals in total—a sharp contrast to their previous run of defensive solidity over 18 matches. This decline has even led some to compare Mikel Arteta’s tactics to Jose Mourinho’s defensive style, though not in a flattering way.
Meanwhile, Newcastle exacted some revenge on Chelsea in their EFL Cup match, after Chelsea’s first team had narrowly beaten them in league play just days prior. Chelsea’s defensive mishaps handed Newcastle a 2-0 win, with Alexander Isak and a Chelsea own goal sealing the victory. Their reward? A home quarter-final tie against Brentford.
In the league, however, Newcastle are struggling; they’ve only managed two points from their last five games, slipping to 12th place. Their recent 11-game unbeaten streak at St James' Park was ended by Brighton a few weeks back. However, it’s been since early 2020 that they last went two home games in a row without scoring.
St James' Park also hosted a memorable match between these two sides last year, where Newcastle edged out Arsenal 1-0, a result that left Arteta calling the winning goal “embarrassing.” Arsenal got their payback with a decisive 4-1 win at home a few months later, and they’ll be hoping for a similar result this weekend.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber made a surprise start in their win over Preston, despite leaving the Liverpool game with cramp. However, Gabriel Magalhaes was absent from that match due to a knee issue he picked up against Liverpool. Both he and Ben White reportedly trained on Friday, making them likely options for the upcoming game. Arsenal is still missing Martin Odegaard (ankle), Riccardo Calafiori (knee), Kieran Tierney (hamstring), and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), who remain sidelined.If Gabriel isn’t cleared to play, Jakub Kiwior is expected to step in alongside William Saliba at center-back. Meanwhile, Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, and Declan Rice are all expected to return to the lineup for the clash at St James’ Park.
On the Newcastle side, Anthony Gordon’s recovery from a groin issue came just in time for him to play 73 minutes in the victory over Chelsea. Manager Eddie Howe explained that Jacob Murphy missed the game due to a minor hamstring injury, while Alexander Isak seemed uncomfortable when he was subbed off just after an hour, though Howe is optimistic it’s not serious.
Isak is expected to be fit for Saturday’s game, but Newcastle will still be without Jamaal Lascelles (knee), Sven Botman (knee), Kieran Trippier (thigh), and Callum Wilson (back).
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Newcastle United possible starting lineup:Pope; Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall; Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Barnes, Isak, Gordon
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Rice, Partey; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli; Havertz
EXPERT PREDICTION
Newcastle 2-3 Arsenal
On the plus side for Arsenal, Arteta was able to rest several key players during their midweek EFL Cup win, which could give them the edge they need to secure a close victory at St James’ Park.
