Arsenal match preview

By: j | August 29th, 2008

With a short-week, after a tight 3-2 victory over Coventry, Newcastle face the Gunners at Emirates Stadium. Entering the third week of the campaign, previous play is as follows:

Recent Form
Newcastle - combined (1 W, 1 D, 0 L) (2 GS, 1 GA)
Aug 17 Manchester United 1 - 1 Newcastle
Aug 23 Newcastle 1 - 0 Bolton

Arsenal - combined (1 W, 0 D, 1 L) (1 GS, 1 GA)
Aug 16 Arsenal 1 - 0 West Brom
Aug 23 Fulham 1 - 0 Arsenal

Both clubs are coming off mid-week matches. Arsenal sent Steve McClaren and his umbrella back to Twente with a 4-0 dismantling that had you pleading to stop by blood-letting while Newcastle was simply lucky not to be scalping by Chris “doesn’t care about Wales” Coleman’s Coventry City in squeezing out a 3-2 victory. Clearly Arsenal has greater momentum but I wouldn’t overstate this issue.

Injuries
Arsenal: William Gallas and Theo Walcott are “concerns” but Arsene Wenger is “optimistic” they’ll play. For those of us, looking for factual information without the clatter, that means probable.

Newcastle: Obafemi Martins is out. Damien Duff is doubtful. Michael Owen will get the nod and violent offender, otherwise known as Joey Barton, is included in the lineup.

General Summary
Newcastle has not defeated a “big four” club in its last eleven matches and they haven’t defeated Arsenal at home since December 2001. Equally Emirates is a fortress for the Gunners as they haven’t lost in twenty-four matches. They should have Cesc Fabregas available as well as new signing, Mikaël Silvestre available which is particularly troubling for Newcastle as Cesc has made a meal out of the Magpies in the past.

I will report on the match as it concludes.