Second place versus thirteenth place doesn’t sound like a massive matchup on paper, but this is Arsenal visiting Newcastle United. It’s a matchup of last year’s runner up and EFL Cup winners. It’s two top five finishers, and any way that you slice it, this is the headliner fixture of the Premier League weekend.
Both teams have injury and fitness issues to contend with, so squad selection and formation will be key.
Arsenal FC at Newcastle United FYIs
Kick: Sun. Sept. 28, 4:30pm, St. James Park, Newcastle, UK
Team News: Arsenal FC Newcastle United
Starting XI Predictions: Arsenal FC Newcastle United
Premier League Standing, Form: Arsenal 2nd, 10pts, WWLWD Newcastle 13th, 6pts, DLDWD
Google Result Probability Arsenal FC 44% Draw 28% Newcastle United 28%
Also, both sides played in midweek, albeit against much lesser competition, but there is going to be a need to rest the legs of the team. So with some level of squad rotation inevitable here, this is the 4-3-3 that we believe Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will go with.
Arsenal Starting XI Prediction at Newcastle United
David Raya; Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Ben White; Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice; Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, Viktor Gyokeres
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter