Premier League Match Time: Arsenal Vs Newcastle
Premier League match time is here again with Arsenal hosting Newcastle United on Sunday in match week eleven.
Arsenal won 3-0, away at Newcastle in the Carling Cup last week, and they will be looking forward to more of the same as the Geordies visit the Emirates. For the Gunners, Theo Walcott scored a brace in the Carling Cup match against the Geordies and he could again prove the danger man for Chris Hughton’s charges on Sunday.
In match week ten, Gunners were fortunate to bank three full points against West Ham as the Hammers hung on for the best part of 88 minutes, until Song headed a Gael Clichy past Green, into the West Ham net. Arsenal created many opportunities in the match without avail. Arshavin had a couple of early runs down the left flank. Later, the Russian fired in a cross only to see Song head over the bar.
Another great chance to score went abegging when a free kick was awarded after Boa Morte pushed over Denilson, but Nasri’s shot though beating Green crashed into the crossbar.Wenger’s charges owed their clean sheet on the day to a great showing by Gael Clichy in the back-line.
A midweek loss to Ukraine club Shakhtar Donetsk should have brought Arsenal back to earth, and they would need a disciplined effort to ensure they bank three points from the Magpies game.
Newcastle have recouped since their last loss to Arsenal with a 5-1 thrashing of Sunderland in match week ten. The win came on the back of skipper Nolan’s hattrick. Ameobi scored the other two goals for the Geordies, including a penalty.Before the game, Sunderland had conceded just seven goals, this Premier League season, the fewest apart from Chelsea, but the Magpies’ rampage left the Black Cats’ defence in tatters.
Newcastle went on the attack from the starting whistle and Nolan opened his account off a Barton corner but only after a Carroll effort had been kept out by Sunderland ‘keeper Mignolet.
Though the Gunners are bookmakers favourites to win at home on Sunday, the match could swing one way or the other depending on which side’s strikers draw first blood.
For Newcastle, Sol Campbell could return against his former team,after being sidelined for a month with knee and thigh injuries; Campbell could be subjected to a late test by Hughton.
Apart from Campbell, Newcastle have injury worries in Harper, Ben Arfa, Best and Gosling. Arsenal’s list of injured players is much longer and has Diaby, Ramsey, Vermaelen, Frimpong, Van Persie, Gibbs and Almunia on it.
Arsenal’s starting eleven against West Ham comprised Fabianski, Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, clichy, Song, Denilson, Nasri, Fabregas, Arshavin, Chamakh Bendtner, Walcott and Eboue featured as substitutes.
The following players were in Newcastle’s first eleven in their match against Sunderland: Krul, Jose Enrique, Coloccini, Williamson, Simpson,Tiote, Barton, Nolan, Gutierez, Ameobi, Carroll.
Ranger came in as a substitute.