Henry Hardwicke's tips for Saturday's clash at the Emirates include a win for the hosts with a striker getting on the scoresheet.
Arsenal host Newcastle on Saturday and the Gunners will be looking to keep the heat on their Premier League title rivals. Liverpool and Man City both picked up three points in midweek, but the Gunners toiled to a 1-0 defeat to Porto in the Champions League on Wednesday night and will be looking to bounce back.
Newcastle have lost only one of their last seven matches, but the Magpies have suffered home draws against Luton and Bournemouth on that run and those represent games that the Toon Army would have expected their side to win.
Eddie Howe has enjoyed a clear week to prepare his side for the trip to north London and it will be interesting to see if Newcastle can use that to their advantage at the Emirates.
Selections
Arsenal to win & over 2.5 goals /
Over 4.5 cards /
Gabriel Jesus to score first /
Gunners can fire in high-scoring contest
Arsenal have scored 21 goals in their last five Premier League matches and they have registered a total of 66 shots on that free-scoring run.
The Gunners put five past Burnley in their last top-flight contest, hit six against West Ham prior to that impressive victory and eight of Arsenal’s last nine victories have come with at least three goals in the game.
There is a slight concern that Mikel Aretea’s men face a quick turnaround after Wednesday’s Champions League defeat to Porto, but Newcastle have won only three Premier League games on the road this term and it looks a big ask for the Magpies to get a result at the Emirates.
Eddie Howe’s men have seen the net bulge 41 times in their last nine games and seven of those contests have gone over 3.5 goals.
It’s 5/6 that Arsenal win Saturday night’s contest in a match with at least three goals at the Emirates, and that looks a wise wager.
Bookings on the cards in north London
There were five bookings dished out in Arsenal’s Champions League tie with Porto on Wednesday and that contest has followed a trend of feisty clashes when the Gunners have faced good teams.
The north London derby between Spurs saw seven yellows earlier in the season, there were five when Arsenal took on Chelsea, five when the Gunners beat Man City and a combined 22 cards were shown in Arsenal’s three matches against Liverpool this term.
Bruno Guimaraes alone has been shown 14 cautions in domestic competition this season and going over 4.5 bookings looks a solid play on Saturday.
Jesus can give Arsenal the advantage
Gabriel Jesus missed Arsenal’s trip to Porto through injury, but the Brazilian should be back and well-rested to lead the line at the Emirates this weekend.
The 26-year-old opened the scoring in his last appearance for Arsenal against Nottingham Forest and, at 19/4, looks good value to repeat the trick against the leaky Magpies.
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