Preferred XI
The Opposition
Here’s a few players to watch out for tomorrow’s visitors:
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – The ex-NUFC target finally made his move to the Premier League in January and he’s made an immediate impression, scoring 6 in his first 7 Premier League games for Arsenal. He’s got frightening pace, good movement and is a real goalscorer. He didn’t play in mid-week so will be fresh for this one. The main man for us to watch tomorrow.
Aaron Ramsey – Not 100% sure if he’ll start after getting a gash on his shin in Russia on Thursday night, but he’ll be one of the main men to watch if he does play. He has a habit of getting into the right areas in and around the box and is a very clever goalscoring midfielder. One for Diame and Shelvey to keep a close eye on.
Mesut Ozil – If I was an Arsenal fan he’d wind me up no end. He has bundles of ability, yet sometimes doesn’t look interested in lifting a finger. That being said, he’s one of the main Arsenal men who has the quality to hurt us if we gave him too much time in dangerous areas.
Petr Cech – He looks a shadow of his former self to me. I’ve seen him let in several goals he could and should have saved this season, with him also having a real tendency to parry shots into dangerous areas (see CSKA’s two goals on Thursday!). Putting him under pressure and shooting on site could be the order of the day. I don’t rate him these days.
Predicted Arsenal XI – (4-2-3-1) – Cech –Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal – Elneny, Xhaka – Ozil, Ramsey, Welbeck – Aubameyang.
For an inside look into this weekend’s opponents, take a look at the latest edition of the ‘Opposition Opinion’ . A great insight into this weekend’s opponents.
Form
Newcastle – 10th (38 pts) – Last 5 in the league – Won: 3 / Drawn: 1 / Lost: 1
Arsenal – 6th (54 pts) – Last 5 in the league – Won: 3 / Drawn: 0 / Lost: 2
Team news
Islam Slimani is available once again after being ineligible to play parent club Leicester last weekend, meaning Benitez looks set to have a fully-fit squad to choose from.
For Arsenal, both Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere will be assessed late on after picking up knocks against CSKA Moscow on Thursday.
Granit Xhaka could return in midfield after missing Thursday’s game through illness, however Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been ruled out with a long-term injury.
In-form midfielder Mohamed Elneny will be available for selection for Wenger after having his red card vs Southampton overturned.
Match Prediction
I’ve got a good feeling about this one. We’re full of confidence from last weekend’s win at Leicester and it feels like we’ve thrown the shackles off at St James’ Park, winning our last three without conceding in any of them.
I think Arsenal will score, and fancy Aubameyang to cause problems, but I just think their defence is woeful and could be shown up tomorrow if we put enough pressure on them.
We’ll have to get the balance right and stick to the sort of successful game plan that’s worked so well in recent weeks, but this Arsenal side have little to play for in the league, have been awful on the road this season and played a difficult Europa League game in Russia just over 48 hours ago.
I fancy us to end our awful run against the Gunners and come away with another 3 points tomorrow!
Prediction: Newcastle 2-1 Arsenal
Howay the lads!
Over the moon with that. Great win. Assist for Perez and a great goal from Ritchie, but how important was that Header from Slimani for our goal. So difficult to pick a man of the match as everyone of them did well, but I think I have to go for Jonjo Shelvey. He and Diame bossed the midfield today.
It’s a bit quiet on here today… ?
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Again. Close your mouth when you chew you Fat git.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Excellent win for us today!! Really happy with Benitez and the players 😎
My only message is to Mike Ashley is get your chequebook out and support your manager with transfer’s in the summer.
Stem(Quote)
Cracking game to watch and all of our players deserve praise for that performance and for coming back from behind.
For me , NUFC man of the match should be men of the match as the entire team deserved it.
Now that we have cleared the 40 point mark , Kimtoon might be convinced we are staying up.
sidekick(Quote)
I’m really looking forward to beating fat sam and wayne rooney next week
Stem(Quote)
I am telling you, man. The best 2 English midfielders in the Premier League are not going to the World Cup – Shelvey and Milner. Wilshere might FFS.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
What a result and what a way to consolidate our safety!
It was only 2 weeks ago some sky sports pundit was insisting we were still going down.
13 points clear of the relegation zone and there is daylight between us and the bottom half of the table! Madness!
2 points off 8th!
Shamrock(Quote)
So, how sh!te does this make Pards and Ugly John look?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Great result .. long may this run continue
Sounds like wenger was his usual graceless self in defeat.
Praise from the BBC of all places too
” Given the uncertainty over the club’s ownership and the lack of funds available to manager Rafael Benitez, Newcastle’s move towards survival is one of the stories of the league this season”
Come on fat boy .. sell up and **** off and let Benitez loose on the premier league with the toon.
GlosMag(Quote)
Yep safe as houses now, gonna enjoy rest of the season.
Well this is embarrassing for Manure isn’t it 😆
kimtoon(Quote)
Wenger always been a bloody bad loser,even down to a disgrace at times,newcastle should not have had any points from this game,what a ********
icedog(Quote)
Yeah, it’s bad form, but expected he’s always the same.
kimtoon(Quote)
You know we go above Everton now if we beat them. they have spent 250 million in the last 2 years.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Quite. He’s delivered some great teams in the past but never showed any humility in defeat or success. Similar to the odious **** at manure all those years
Yesterdays men and good riddance.
Chirpy Rafa is the future ??
GlosMag(Quote)
WTF Man Utd?! WBA.? At home?!
Shamrock(Quote)
Got my prediction spot on! 😉
Class win. Post match thoughts and new thread coming soon.
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
I got mine right. Last week as well. I am just going for 2-1 to the Toon from now on.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I also predicted win for West Brom.
Not really, I just made that up.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Olly: good predictions from your Arsenal fan 🙂 I think I will do the opposite to what he says.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I used to do that with Troy Stavers but he doesn’t come on anymore. Pity. I could have made a fortune.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
NEW THREAD:
https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2018/04/15/newcastle-2-1-arsenal-superb-scenes-at-st-james-as-rafas-mags-secure-premier-league-safety/
Post-Arsenal thoughts
Olly Hawkins(Quote)