Arsenal and Newcastle United are both eyeing up runners-up spot in the Premier League table as they prepare to meet at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has warned his side they must be ‘very clinical’ if they are to beat Newcastle United for the first time this season when the Champions League rivals meet at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Magpies claimed a 1-0 home win against the Gunners in early November as an Alexander Isak header gave Eddie Howe’s side all three points at St James Park. The two sides then faced off over a two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final tie after the turn of the year and Newcastle came through that unscathed with a pair of 2-0 wins that put them another step closer to ending their 70-year wait for major domestic silverware.
Their fourth and final meeting of the season could well be the most important as both clubs look to secure a place in next season’s Champions League. As it stands, Arteta’s men are sat in second place in the Premier League table - but Newcastle can leapfrog them into runners-up spot if they can preserve their perfect seasonal record against the Gunners by claiming all three points at the Emirates Stadium in a league game for the first time since November 2010.
Arteta has challenged his players to show their clinical side in Sunday’s game as he hopes to experience the ‘pain’ of being the best of the rest behind already crowned Premier League champions Liverpool.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, the Gunners boss said: “We need two (big performances) and we are going to start with that one (Newcastle). We need a big one and we need to be very clinical because we know the qualities of Newcastle, we know the results we’ve had lately against them and how thin the margins are with them, and the fact with how clinical we have to be in front of them to score the goals. You have to be always as good as you possibly can. Obviously, the dream of winning the Premier League this season has gone. So, as we said, we have to be the best of the rest and feel that pain to be better.”
“Amazing”
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Although Arteta offered little more than admitting he is awaiting news on the fitness of Leandro Trossard, Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Martinelli, the Gunners boss did open up more on a potential return for Kai Havertz. The Germany international has been on the sidelines for the last three months after he suffered a serious hamstring injury and was initially said to be ruled out for the remainder of the season.
However, the former Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen star is slowly heading towards the final stages of his recovery and Arteta hinted there is a chance the 25-year-old could be in contention for a place in the matchday squad ahead of Sunday’s clash.
He said: “We're going to decide that tomorrow. He's done certain part of the sessions in the last two days. It's with the medical staff and how Kai feels.” On the work Havertz has put in to return, he added: "Amazing! It's a credit to him and the medical staff and they've been pushing. He looks in great shape and you see the transformation on him which is really impressive.”
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