A huge clash near the top of the Premier League kicks off today’s action as Newcastle look to end the Gunners’ season for the season year running. Follow the Live blog here
The Gunners simply must win to keep their fading title hopes alive, with Manchester City yet again winning yesterday, but know all too well what the St James’ Park atmosphere can do to their young squad.
Just last season, the Gunners capitulated at Tottenham and then failed to show up at Newcastle days later to miss out on the top four.
Now it’s the oil-rich Magpies who are vying for a top-four finish of their own after fine work from Eddie Howe, though know a defeat will hand an opportunity to Manchester United and Liverpool.
The home crowd will be as raucous as they come this afternoon, how will handle the pressure? Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog below:
Arsenal Team News:
Newcastle team news:
1min: Here we go!
2min: Oh, wow! Almost the perfect start for Newcastle as Murphy clangs the bottom of the far post after being found unmarked inside the area.
Arsenal’s midfield nowhere to be seen.
5min: Blistering start by Newcastle. Arsenal are chasing shadows and desperately need to get their foot on the ball.
8min: Bruno’s shot hits Kiwor’s arm and that’s stone wall.
10min: The referee overturns as it hits Kiwior’s leg first. The correct decision.
I wonder what that will do for the momentum of the game.
12min: Newcastle are furious at that decision, but it’s literally the rules so they can have no complaints.
14min: Odegaard fires home from outside the area, just minutes after Newcastle see a penalty overturned!
What a strike, but question marks over Trippier.
16min: Murphy looks to have wriggled clear and into the area, but his touch takes him wide and allows Gabriel to stick in a boot.
A good opening gone.
Action Images via Reuters
21min: Martinelli should at least test Pope properly after he finds himself with the ball at his feet inside the area, but the chance goes begging.
24min: Now Saka is clean through on goal but his second touch is a tad off and shoots straight at Pope.
Newcastle’s fast starts seems a distant memory.
28min: Deary me, can none of these forwards finish?
Willock has almost the entire goal gaping but shoots straight at Ramsdale
30min: Newcastle starting to create chances again. Murphy looks for Wilson inside the area but Ramsdale does juuuuuuust enough to push the ball away.
It’s tense on Tyneside.
33min: Arsenal have plenty of opportunities on the break but not making the right decisions at the moment. Martinelli the latest to run into Newcastle’s final third, but instead of shooting or finding Odegaard, he goes for a no-look back heel to Jesus, which is easily cut out.
37min: Heart-in-mouth time for Pope as his clearance almost clatters into Saka, but the Arsenal man cannot capitalise quickly enough.
The goalkeeper apologises to his team-mates.
43min: Oof, that is naughty from Bruno. He rakes his studs down the back of Saka’s ankle.
45min: Five minutes added on.
48min: Xhaka is doing his best attempts to wind up every Newcastle player, and it’s working.
50min: There’s the whistle
48min: Newcastle denied by the woodwork again!
This time Murphy holds the ball up and Isak dives in but his header thwacks against the post.
50min: What a save! Schar’s header is straight at Ramsdale, who makes himself big at point-blank range.
51min: Martinelli gets the better of Trippier inside the area and curls a shot off the top of the bar.
This game.
55min: The pace of this game in unrelenting, until Arsenal win a set-piece and then it’s a snail race to take it.
Bruno gets away with a warning for a push on Odegaard.
59min: An incredible, surely goal-saving sliding tackle from Xhaka to deny Willock inside the area. The midfielder immediately jumps up afterwards and then collapsing to his knees, exhausted.
Tierney is being readied.
61min: Tierney is on, replacing Zinchenko.
65min: Newcastle make their first change as Almiron replaces Murphy.
67min: Jesus just shrieked out in pain as Schar leaves an elbow in on his face.
72min: That should be that!
Martinelli does well down the left flank on the counter, drives to the touchline and pulls it back for Schar to punt into his own net.
How has he got away with that.
75min: It’s been a long time coming but a Newcastle player has been booked!
Burn for a foul on Saka.
79min: Wilson and Willock off for Gordon and Saint-Maximin.
80min: Trossard and Partey on, Martinelli and Odegaard off for Arsenal.
85min: Trippier goes down theatrically inside the area, wants a penalty but won’t be getting one.
91min: Six minutes added on.
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