Arsenal are faltering at the worst possible moment in their bid to end a six-year trophy drought.
A Carabao Cup final in March presented the perfect chance to kick off the run-in by relieving pressure. But Manchester City claimed a 2-0 victory at Wembley Stadium, and the men of Mikel Arteta have since spiralled across several fronts. They lost 2-1 against Southampton in the FA Cup quarterfinals, were beaten 2-1 by Bournemouth in the Premier League and then suffered a second successive loss by the same scoreline to the Citizens in a table topping clash at the Etihad Stadium.
Following a 1-0 triumph for City against Burnley at Turf Moor, Arsenal slipped into second spot in the standings for the first time in the new year. They are out of both domestic cup competitions, and the task of winning a first ever Champions League title has become an even more intimidating one.
For now, attention turns to the visit of Newcastle United, a traditionally rough-housing, aggressive opponent who bring the sort of record that will haunt fans ahead of the action on Saturday afternoon.
Arsenal 0-0 Newcastle United (03.01.2023)
Arsenal arrived into the new year of 2023 with the wind in their sails. Off the back of the break for the World Cup, they had defeated West Ham 3-1 and **Brighton**4-2, getting the opportunity to go double digits points clear at the top of the Premier League if they beat the Toon (sound familiar?)
Signs of set-piece strength were present as Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli came close to breaking the deadlock with headers from corner kicks. However, chances were at a premium for both outfits across 90 minutes at the Emirates Stadium, and Nick Pope parried a lashed shot from deputy striker Eddie Nketiah in the second half to stop the hosts from snatching three points at the death.
What set apart this performance from the Toon was their commitment to acting as spoilers. By the end of the first half, they had decided to defend in their classic block with a flat line of five in midfield: a tool that has frustrated many ‘Big Six’ sides since. Spaces were a struggle to access in central areas, and players put in the work to recover whenever the tight lines in their formation were breached.
On top of that, Newcastle are no strangers to the dark arts. The referee dished out five yellow cards in the final quarter of an hour of action before the break, and Dan Burn went unpunished for obstructing the progress of Gabriel at a second half set-piece. Arteta was certainly irate about the intentions of the opposition, but the Geordies ground out a point with a blueprint that has stood them in good stead.
Newcastle United 1-0 Arsenal (02.11.2024)
St. James’ Park proved to be a constant stumbling block for the Gunners . Their 2-0 loss in May 2022 marked the end of their top four aspirations, then a 1-0 defeat in November 2023 threw another spanner in the works in their latest title charge. And a third loss in four trips to Tyneside would follow in November of the following year, bearing much more symbolic implications for Arteta’s men.
Club captain Martin Odegaard was absent with an injury, returning the next week at Stamford Bridge. In his absence, Arteta attempted to use a frontline with Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard in central areas, but Arsenal could not create much of value against that stingy Newcastle setup.
Ethan Nwaneri was among the players introduced to the field in the second half, but the performance reminded fans of an all-too-common sight in the last 18 months: side-to-side football that placed a progressive and creative burden on the wingers without the box presence to pepper the penalty area.
Going the other way, the Toon ripped through a midfield that put the relative immobility of Mikel Merino to task, and it was from a second ball that they platformed the only goal of the game. Anthony Gordon whipped in a delivery, and Alexander Isak soared highest to head home.
This defeat came after a 2-2 draw with Liverpool and a 2-0 loss to Bournemouth, leaving the Gunners in fourth place and seven points adrift of the league leading Reds with just ten matches of the league campaign played. It was a sign of what was to come in a year plagued by significant absences, and Newcastle exploited this backward step ruthlessly when cup competition rolled around in 2025.
Arsenal 0-2 Newcastle United (07.01.2025)
By the beginning of the new year, Arsenal were accepting that the Reds were running away with the Premier League title. But there were still realistic ambitions that a domestic cup competition could bring joy to the campaign and quench the thirst from the fans to see silverware in the cabinet.
Newcastle turned up to the Emirates with other ideas on their mind. They were willing to press high, escaping punishment when Martinelli broke through the last line and smashed a strike against the post. And their Swedish striker set the sides apart by half time, cleverly putting an arm into Martin Odegaard to be ready for the knockdown from a long ball before burying an effort into the net.
A well-worked move doubled their advantage: Isak found himself a pocket of space to strike and force David Raya into a save. But Gordon gobbled up the rebound, staying on his toes to follow up on any spillages, and the supporters in the stands to his left were dreaming of a trip to Wembley Stadium.
The hosts had their chances to reply, most notably with a shanked header from Havertz, but the Toon defended diligently, pulling Jacob Murphy into a back five for the final half hour of the encounter.
Hope had deflated by the final whistle, and Howe’s men doubled their lead on aggregate in the reverse fixture before making history in March. Meanwhile, the suffering would continue for Arteta’s men, and if they are not careful on Saturday afternoon, the Toon could put a heavy nail in their coffin.