Arsenal vs Newcastle, Premier League live: What time is it, what channel, latest team news and odds

A look ahead to Saturday's Premier League clash

Grant Dalton
Friday 15 December 2017 16:59 GMT
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Arsenal won 1-0 in their last encounter with Newcastle
Arsenal won 1-0 in their last encounter with Newcastle

Arsenal host Newcastle United on Saturday with both clubs striving to end their recent poor form.

The Gunners, winless in three, have dropped to seventh in the table after a midweek stalemate with West Ham, while Newcastle have picked up just one point from their past eight matches to fall within a point of the drop zone.

Olivier Giroud may return to the bench after a goalless first league start against the Hammers, with Wenger suggesting he will rotate his team once again. Alexandre Lacazette, rested midweek after suffering from a groin problem, is likely to return, but Aaron Ramsey is out for another three weeks with a hamstring injury, so Jack Wilshere will probably keep his place.

Newcastle’s terrible form shows no sign of abating after another limp loss against Everton on Wednesday, although Mikel Merino did strike the post for the Magpies. As takeover rumours continue to cause uncertainty on Tyneside, it is proving a difficult winter for Rafa Benitez, whose potential dealings in January may well be hamstrung by the ongoing sale of the club.

Newcastle have been linked with moves for strikers such as Besiktas’s Cenk Tosun and Everton’s Sandro Ramirez in the press, and the Magpies do have problems up front, with neither Dwight Gayle nor Joselu convincing as Premier League quality forwards. Joselu was left out of the starting lineup for the visit of Everton, and will likely return if Benitez decides to rotate his squad, with Ayoze Perez offering another option up front.

Benitez may well deploy the three-man defence he used on Newcastle’s visit to Stamford Bridge, especially after Jamaal Lascelles’ return from injury. Jonjo Shelvey’s late red card against Everton rules him out of the match, with Isaac Hayden the obvious man to replace him.

What time does it start?

Arsenal vs Newcastle United is at 15:00 on Saturday afternoon.

Where can I watch it?

Highlights will be available on BBC1 at 22:20 on Saturday.

It’s a big game for…

Alexis Sanchez. Arsene Wenger has had to fend off questions about the Chilean’s form in both his last two press conferences and although Sanchez’s return of four goals from 14 games is not embarrassing, it is nowhere near his usual heights. He offered little against West Ham, but with January looming he is aware that he is in the shop window.

Manchester City are considering making good on their summer interest in Sanchez, although it is questionable whether they need to spend an extra £40m or so to get Sanchez six months early, with his contract expiring at the end of the season and City seemingly having wrapped up the title already. This is a good opportunity for Sanchez to show his undoubted talents.

Alexis Sanchez's time at Arsenal looks to be drawing to an end 

Best stat…

Arsenal have won their last nine consecutive league games against Newcastle, their longest winning run against any current Premier League side.

Remember when...

With Newcastle trailing 4-0 to Arsenal at half-time, no one in St James’ Park could have predicted what was to come in the 2011 match between the clubs. Two penalties from Joey Barton and a goal from Leon Best set up a tense finale after Abou Diaby’s red card, and with four minutes left of the match, up stepped the late Cheick Tiote. He steered a dipping volley from twenty yards past Wojciech Szczesny in the Arsenal goal for his first and only Newcastle goal, to send the Toon Army into raptures.

Player to watch…

Matt Ritchie. The Scot is without a doubt Newcastle’s best attacking resource, with six assists this season, as many as the rest of his team combined. The Scotland midfielder has already proved himself to be a class act in the Premier League during his time at Bournemouth, and his form will be crucial to their chances of staying up this season.

As Gylfi Sigurdsson has repeatedly proved, quality set-piece delivery can be a huge boost to the survival chances of sides like Newcastle United, and Ritchie has four assists from corners and free kicks already this season. He can be a key tool for Newcastle to exploit any weaknesses Arsenal may show in the air.

Matt Ritchie is Newcastle's best attacking resource

Previous three meetings…

Arsenal 1 Newcastle United 0, Premier League, January 2016

Newcastle United 0 Arsenal 1, Premier League, August 2015

Newcastle United 1 Arsenal 2, Premier League, March 2015

Form guide…

Arsenal: WWLDD

Newcastle United: LDLLL

Odds…

Arsenal: 1/4

Newcastle United: 9/1

Draw: 5/1

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