Arsenal vs Newcastle: Must win and win convincingly

The title race between Arsenal and Manchester City is extremely tense. The two teams are tied on points (70 points) and separated only by goal difference, underscoring the potential importance of this factor in this season's championship battle.

As the season progresses, Arsenal's form has declined. The Emirates Stadium side lost to Manchester City in the English League Cup final, were eliminated by Southampton in the FA Cup, and then lost to Bournemouth at home in the Premier League. Last week, Arsenal lost to Manchester City in a match considered the "final" of the season. That defeat dealt a heavy blow to manager Mikel Arteta and his team's Premier League title dream. Overall, Arsenal have lost 4 out of their last 6 matches across all competitions.

Manchester City's 1-0 victory over Burnley in a postponed match forced Arsenal to relinquish the top spot in the standings to City. Once again, Arsenal led the table for three-quarters of the season but faltered in the final stretch. However, if they win this round, Arsenal will reclaim the top position. This truly provides encouragement for the Arsenal players.

First, Mikel Arteta's team must win. However, scoring has become a major issue for Arsenal. In recent rounds, the Gunners' attack has shown signs of stagnation. Arsenal's offensive effectiveness during this period is a headache for Arteta.

This season, Arsenal have been very effective in set-piece situations. They have scored 21 goals from non-penalty set pieces, the most in the Premier League. However, the supply of goals from dead-ball situations has stalled. Arsenal have scored only 1 goal from set pieces in their last 4 league matches, since scoring 2 from corners in the win over Chelsea early in March.

Kai Havertz's return in the striker role brings many positive signals for Arsenal. The German forward performs well as a target man, helping the team connect play and create greater pressure in the penalty area.

Martin Odegaard has returned from injury, and his partnership with Eberechi Eze significantly enhances the Gunners' attacking quality. Arsenal also expect Bukayo Saka to return soon, reportedly ready to play. Notably, Saka, Odegaard, and Havertz have not started together in the Premier League since the 5-1 win over Crystal Palace in December 2024. However, individual form remains a concern. Saka has scored only 2 goals in his last 14 matches, Odegaard has 1 goal in 21 matches.

Viktor Gyokeres remains the biggest hope for the Gunners' attack. He is still Arsenal's top scorer with 12 goals.

Arsenal understand that goal difference could become the decisive factor. But first, they need to win and score more goals if they want to maintain their title hopes.

Fortunately for Arsenal, in this round they face Newcastle. In terms of reputation, the Magpies are a tough opponent. But Newcastle's form has plummeted disastrously. Manager Eddie Howe's team has lost 4 consecutive matches. In their last 11 matches, Newcastle have lost 7. Regarding motivation, the Magpies also lack many competitive goals as they are far from the European qualification group. Currently, Newcastle have only 42 points, ranked 14th, and trail the European qualification group by 7 points.

The match between Arsenal and Newcastle will take place at 23:30 on April 25th. If they do not want to see the Blues overtake them at the end of the race, Arsenal must win at all costs against Newcastle.

Expected starting lineup for both teams
Arsenal: David Raya, Cristhian Mosquera, William Saliba, Gabriel, Piero Hincapié, Martín Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke, Martin Ødegaard, Eberechi Eze, Kai Havertz
Newcastle United: Aaron Ramsdale, Kieran Trippier, Malick Thiaw, Sven Botman, Lewis Hall, Lewis Miley, Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimarães, Anthony Elanga, William Osula, Harvey Barnes