Arsenal vs Newcastle preview: Gunners hoping to fire another shot in title charge

A look ahead to the Premier League fixture at the Emirates Stadium

Mesut Özil is congratulated by Hector Bellerin and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after scoring against Bournemouth (EPA)

It’s a big game for…

Newcastle’s players: Newcastle endured a difficult Christmas period, suffering 1-0 defeats at the hands of Everton and then West Brom. Everton’s winner came in the third minute of added time at the end of the second half, while West Brom’s came with twelve minutes left to play in the game. To have missed out on points in both of those games in such a fashion will probably have affected morale, but a strong performance against Arsenal could improve the atmosphere in the dressing room.

Best stat…

171: Newcastle might sit nine points off the bottom in the Premier League table, but they are currently dead last in the League in number of shots, with 171 attempts on goal all season.

Remember when…

Theo Walcott bagged a hat-trick against Newcastle as Arsenal completed a 7-3 rout in the Premier League in December 2012.

Player to watch…

Mesut Ozil: This should come as no surprise, as the German has been in sublime form this season, and it was only more of the same when the Gunners beat Bournemouth 2-0, as Ozil registered is 16th assist of the season for Arsenal’s first goal, and scored their second. His ability to pick Newcastle apart will determine the result of this game.

Past three meetings…

Newcastle 0 Arsenal 1 (Coloccini (og)), Premier League, August 2015

Newcastle 1 (Sissoko) Arsenal 2 (Giroud 2), Premier League, March 2015

Arsenal 4 (Giroud 2, Cazorla 2(pen 1)) Newcastle 1 (Perez), Premier League, December 2014

Form guide…

Arsenal: WWWWLW

Newcastle: LWWDLL

Vital information…

Kick-Off Time: 15:00

TV: Highlights on BBC1, 10:30p