- Arsenal have drawn four of their last six league matches
- Newcastle have lost only one of their last 10 fixtures
- Recommended bet: Draw

Arsenal are going to complete a fifth successive season without lifting a major trophy but they have done reasonably well in the Premier League and approach the home match against Newcastle with the intention of maintaining their hold on second place.

The Gunners were runners-up in each of the last two seasons and have held second place in the 2024-25 table since late December.

However, they have been dropping points on a more regular basis of late and their 68-point total is well short of the 84 and 89-point tallies accrued in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns.

Newcastle are approaching the end of a successful season, having ended their trophy drought with a 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.

They have also been pushing hard for a top-five finish and took a big step towards Champions League qualification with last Sunday’s 2-0 success at home to Chelsea.

Team news

Mikel Merino is suspended, Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard (both thigh) are doubts and Gabriel Jesus, Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), Gabriel and Kai Havertz (both thigh) remain unavailable for Arsenal.

Jorginho and Oleksandr Zinchenko are options to step into Merino’s midfield role.

Jamaal Lascelles returned to the Newcastle bench last weekend and will be pushing for his first minutes of the season.

Joe Willock (thigh) and Sven Botman (knee) are doubts but will be given every chance to feature.

Joelinton (knee), Lewis Hall (ankle), Matt Targett (thigh) and Kieran Trippier (calf) are definite absentees.

The stats

Nine of the last 10 matches between the teams have generated less than three goals.

Arsenal have drawn 2-2 in two of their last three Premier League fixtures.

Six of Arsenal’s last eight matches have featured goals for both teams.

Newcastle have beaten Arsenal three times this season, keeping clean sheets on each occasion.

Newcastle have won eight of their last 10 matches.

Prediction

Arsenal need another four points to make sure of second place and they can edge closer to their target by drawing with Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners head to Southampton next weekend but their immediate focus is on the tricky contest with bogey side Newcastle, who triumphed 1-0 in the reverse Premier League fixture and won 2-0 in both legs of the Carabao Cup semi-final.

Newcastle head to the capital in search of a fourth straight win over the Londoners, but they might be reluctant to take too many risks.

The top priority for Eddie Howe’s side is to seal a top-five finish and ensure a return to the Champions League after a one-season absence.

The Magpies would probably view a point as a decent return and they can achieve it against an Arsenal side weakened by Mikel Merino’s suspension.

Back the draw at 5/2 with LiveScore Bet.

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