The English Premier League is back in action this weekend as the Arsenal are heading up north to face Newcastle United. Arsenal is looking to add the 4th win in a row for the first time this season. The Gunners enjoyed a solid form against the Magpies as they have not dropped points against them in their last 10 encounters.
On the other side, Newcastle is on a three-game winning run which put them in the top half of the table.
The Gunners Priority is the Europa League
The Gunners are not having a good season in the Premier League this year. Their goal of reaching a Top 4 Champions Lague spot seems almost impossible. Currently, they are placed on the 6th spot with 54 points, 13 points behind their arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur which are placed on the 4th spot that leads to a Champions League spot for next season.
On the offensive side of the field, the Gunners are in good form as they have scored 5 goals in the last two games, including a 3-2 win against Southampton and a 2-2 draw in Moscow on Thursday Night in the Europa League. It seems that Aubameyang is finally started to adapt to the Gunners style of play. The club record signing has been in a good form as he scored 3 goals in his last two Premier League appearances against Stoke City and Southampton at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal will assess midfielders Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere, who both suffered injuries against CSKA Moscow.
On the defensive side of their game, the Gunners have been in poor form all season. Their defensive problems have been the main reason why they are not able to challenge for a top 4 spot this season. They have conceded 4 goals in their last two games. It just seems that Arsene Wenger cannot find the right combination as the veteran manager is constantly changing his central defenders this season.
Newcastle United Looking to Secure Their Premier League Status
After the solid start, the Magpies went through a bad patch as their big injury list took its toll on their results. However, Rafa Benitez teams have bounced back and enjoyed 3 wins in a row which put them back into the top half of the table. The Spanish experienced tactician has an almost empty treatment room will try to contain the free-scoring Gunners. It seems that Newcastle United will stay up this year. This game against an Arsenal side coming off the back of Moscow on Thursday may be a great chance to reach the imperative 40 points mark that is usually enough to guarantee survival in the Top Division. They have shown that they are able to beat the big guns at home as they beat Man Utd at St. James Park with a score of 1-0. Moreover, the Magpies beat Leicester, Southampton and Huddersfield in their last 3 games.
On the offensive side of the game, they have scored 6 goals in their last 3 games or an average of 2 goals per game. On the defensive side, the Magpies have let only 1 goal during the last three games.
All in all, I expect an interesting game. Newcastle United have 38 points and a win in this game will guarantee their survival in the top flight. On the other side, Arsenal have nothing to play for as they only have theoretical chances to get into the top four spots. Their attention is on the Europa League and Arsene Wenger hopes that the Gunners can win that competition in order to secure a Champions League come back next year. I expect that Wenger will rotate his squad and many players will want to prove their worth before the end of the season. My prediction is that there will be 3 or more goals in this game.
My Free Pick & Prediction for Arsenal vs Newcastle United today on 4/15/2018 is: Take the Total OVER 2.5 +171
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