Arsenal face Newcastle on Saturday night in a huge clash that could have a huge say in the Premier League title race
08:00, 25 Apr 2026
Eddie Howe and Mikel Arteta will go head-to-head again at the Emirates Stadium
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Eddie Howe and Mikel Arteta will go head-to-head again at the Emirates Stadium
Arsenal have the chance to regain top spot in the Premier League when they host Newcastle United on Saturday night.
It's a huge clash for the Gunners, who saw Manchester City take the lead in this tense title battle after beating Burnley 1-0 on Wednesday night. Pep Guardiola's side lead on goals scored only, but they aren't in Premier League action this weekend and will instead face Southampton in their FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
Newcastle, meanwhile, are in a miserable run of form, having lost their last three top-flight matches 2-1. Eddie Howe will be motivated as he bids to beat Mikel Arteta, knowing that a victory will ease the pressure on him.
So, who will win the Emirates Stadium clash? Our reporters give their predictions...
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Jeremy Cross
It's difficult to know who is facing the most pressure at the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta's faltering Arsenal side have lost their last two league games and won just one in the last six in all competitions.
Manchester City have replaced them at the top of the table, and their season is in danger of imploding into one of the most spectacular collapses in living memory.
Newcastle, meanwhile, head south with nothing to lose, but a lot to gain. Their own season is in freefall, with Eddie Howe set for showdown talks with the club's Saudi owners next week.
For Arsenal, losing is not an option. It would be unthinkable. For Newcastle, winning would make such a difference to Howe. Losing again, meanwhile, might just push him that bit closer to the sack.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Arsenal
Tom Canton
Arsenal win, and they win well. I might be making a bit of a fool of myself, but what is the point of being brave in predictions if you're not also trying to manifest the desired result?
I think that while Mikel Arteta will be looking at trying to secure the victory before anything else, goals are important. If you offered Arteta five 1-0 wins between now and the end of the season, no doubt he would take that.
However, the goals are important not just for goal difference but for confidence. At Man City, they might've lost, but I saw the Arsenal that has been absent for so long back again, and I think with Bukayo Saka coming back too, things can only get better.
An early goal will crack open this tie; anything else, and it will get very nervy in the stadium. Newcastle are lacking key players and the Gunners need to exploit that.
Prediction: Arsenal 3-0 Newcastle
Lee Ryder
Newcastle United go into this game on the back of four straight defeats but they are not exactly in horrendous form per se.
They should have emerged from Crystal Palace with at least a point after going 1-0 up and switching off, then against AFC Bournemouth they failed to push on after equalising and the same dozy failings at the back cost them dear.
Eddie Howe goes into the game under pressure but he could yet survive this end of season slump. I think he will be looking to take advantage of Arsenal's title jitters and will play accordingly.
Newcastle have nothing to lose and I believe they will go to Arsenal to frustrate.
As for the Gunners, they will know that at this stage of the season the points are preferable to games in hand and will be looking to snatch top spot back from Man City.
I can see Newcastle going into a shock lead and Arsenal fighting back but not getting the result they really need.
With Newcastle in 14th place, a point isn't much use to them either but they'd take it given the struggles of recent weeks.
Prediction: Arsenal 1-1 Newcastle
Ryan Taylor
I fancy Arsenal to get the job done this weekend.
Newcastle have endured a rough season and there's doubt over the availability of Anthony Gordon and Tino Livramento, two players the Gunners admire.
Arsenal's last home game versus Bournemouth was a bad old blip and strangely they actually played twice as well against Man City.
There will now be a hunger to put things right following a poor run of form and I think they have it in them to get the job done.
They need to tighten up defensively and get back to keeping clean sheets and I think they will do that here.
Prediction: Arsenal to win 1-0 or 2-0.
Sean McCormick
If Newcastle were heading into this game in any sort of form, they would relish the task of derailing Arsenal's Premier League title bid further. The two sides have enjoyed some fierce encounters across the last couple of seasons and it was just 11 months ago that the Magpies headed to the Emirates Stadium knowing a win would have lifted them above the Gunners into second place in the Premier League table.
Their last visit before that, of course, ended in a 2-0 win in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final, too.
Fast forward to now and the Magpies head to North London in 14th place having lost eight of their last 11 Premier League matches and with the scrutiny over Eddie Howe's position as head coach as intense as it has been across his four-and-a-half years at the club.
I suppose the flipside of that is it is almost a free hit for Newcastle. Nobody is expecting them to win and given the jitters Arsenal are so obviously displaying as they look to shake off their tag as the Premier League's nearly men, that has to be the pre-match message on the training pitch this week - to take advantage of those title nerves.
Unfortunately, the recent evidence is just not there to give me any confidence Newcastle are in a position to do that. If Newcastle can get the opening goal, that might just raise the tension inside the Emirates Stadium. But if Arsenal get the first goal, I can see it being a routine 2-0 home win.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle
Jake Stokes
If Arsenal play as they did against Manchester City when they host Newcastle United this weekend, they'll cruise to victory. Although the Gunners left the Etihad Stadium empty-handed, they were aggressive, relished the occasion, and created enough chances to win.Unfortunately for Mikel Arteta, though, his side's finishing let them down. If Arsenal perform at the same intensity while offering a little more quality in the opposition box, they could genuinely blow the Magpies away.So long as the supporters don't bring a nervy energy to the Emirates Stadium, the north Londoners could run riot. They have the chance to set the pace in the title race, go three points clear and pile the pressure on Pep Guardiola's side – what an opportunity that is!Newcastle haven't been in great form, which will certainly play into Arsenal's hands. They've lost each of their last three Premier League games, dropping to 14th, putting European football all but out of reach.Any other title contender would smell blood and go for the jugular. So, Saturday evening will be a real test of their credentials.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle
Amie Wilson
A match against Newcastle is never going to be easy, but I’m backing Arsenal to bounce back and keep the pressure on Manchester City in the race for the title.
Despite defeat at the Etihad Stadium, Arsenal can take a lot of positives from their performance, having come so close to taking the lead before Erling Haaland’s goal in the second half.
If they can replicate that between now and the end of the season, then the race for the title is bound to go down to the wire.
It’s been a disappointing season for Newcastle, who sit in 14th place in the table, causing pressure to build on Eddie Howe. They have, however, shown what they are capable of in some performances this season.
With nothing much to play for, the Magpies have nothing to lose, which could work both for and against Arsenal. There is bound to be a bit of nervousness around the Emirates Stadium.
However, I think the Gunners will just have too much for Howe’s side, the extra edge of the title being on the line could help make the difference.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Newcastle
Scott Trotter
An end-of-season game against Newcastle may bring back nightmares for Arsenal after the Gunners slipped up chasing Champions League football in 2022. On this occasion, despite their stuttering form, Mikel Arteta's side will be strong favourites against a Newcastle team who just cannot find a result.
But the Magpies have proven to be a spoiler against Arsenal on more than one occasion, and a number of players will know they are entering the last chance saloon of the season to impress to keep their place at the club or to earn their next move.
More than once, Newcastle have managed to rattle their opponents and with the added pressure and frustrations of a title race, Arsenal may struggle to keep their cool. That could see Newcastle earn a draw.
Prediction: Arsenal 1-1 Newcastle
Aaron Morris
Both Arsenal and Newcastle United head into their match at the Emirates Stadium this week with the weight of the world on them for highly-contrasting reasons. Mikel Arteta will have to demand nothing short of perfection from his Gunners team as they look to clinch their first league title in more than two decades.
Despite holding a generous lead over Manchester City at the top of the table earlier this month, they have since slipped into second on goal difference as the cracks start to show.
Newcastle, meanwhile, sit 14th in the Premier League standings, winless in their last three in the English top flight and seeing their hopes of qualifying for any form of European football diminish by the day.
Should Eddie Howe even hope to see out the remainder of the season with the Magpies he needs results now. On paper, it should be a runout for Arsenal considering they hold a home advantage and have outshone their north-eastern opponents for the majority of the season.
However, with Newcastle coming up clutch against bigger sides this season despite their widespread woes, the visitors could prove problematic in the capital. It’s a massive cliche, but it will simply be a case of who wants it more when the two meet on Saturday evening under diamond-forging pressure.
With both sides struggling to keep a clean sheet as of recent, you can expect goals galore and probably even late drama in this one.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-2 Newcastle
Isaac Seelochan
I expect Arsenal to carry that positive performance against Manchester City into Saturday's game. If they do, then it should be a comfortable win.
Newcastle are in freefall under Eddie Howe and look like they can't wait for a dismal season to end. There are so many question marks over where they go next.
But the Gunners' nerves could be a leveller. We saw it even against Wolves that pressure has impacted this team and that is only likely to ramp up now with no room for error.
Having said that, I expect them to get back to winning ways with a nervy victory. 1-0 to the Arsenal.
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Prediction: Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle
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