Our best bets for Saturday's crucial Premier League clash between Arsenal and Newcastle includes a bet on goals at both ends and contribution from an England international.
For the first time in a number of months Arsenal are no longer in pole position to win the Premier League title.
Sunday’s loss at rivals Manchester City whittled down the Gunners’ lead to three points and the Citizens eradicated it entirely with a 1-0 win at Burnley on Wednesday, when they usurped Mikel Arteta’s men at the top on goal difference.
With City not in league action this weekend, Arsenal have the chance to move back to the summit when they welcome Newcastle to the Emirates on Saturday evening. Here are our football betting selections for the game.
Arsenal v Newcastle Bet Builder
Both teams to score @ 3/4
Eberechi Eze 1+ shots on target @ 7/10
Bruno Guimaraes 1+ shots on target @ 6/5
Over 9.5 corners @ 4/7
Pays out at 13/2
Gunners’ defensive standards slipping
Strong foundations have formed the backbone of Arsenal’s title challenge but their once watertight rearguard has started to leak goals.
The Gunners kept a club-record eight clean sheets in succession earlier this season but those standards have slipped in recent months with just two shutouts in their last eight league outings.
That should give Newcastle plenty of encouragement to have a go at the Emirates, especially as they also have little to lose.
Eddie Howe has come in for plenty of flak recently for the club’s underwhelming league performance. The Magpies are languishing in 14th place and have lost their last four matches in all competitions.
However, they have not failed to score in 18 matches, a sequence that has featured goals at both ends on 17 occasions.
Leg 1: Both teams to score @ 3/4
Eze can provide a spark
Who knows how things would have panned out had Eberechi Eze’s curling effort hit the back of the net rather than the upright with the scores level at 1-1 at the Etihad last Sunday.
The England star has become a regular fixture in Arsenal’s starting line-up over the last couple of months and he is rarely one to pass up an opportunity to take a shot at goal.
He has steered at least one shot on target in three of his last four league starts – the exception was his unfortunate strike that hit the post against City – and he may test the reflexes of Newcastle’s goalkeeper at the Emirates.
Leg 2: Eberechi Eze 1+ shots on target @ 7/10
Bruno’s back to inspire the Toon
Bruno Guimaraes returned from over two months out to a rapturous reception from the Newcastle faithful in Saturday’s home defeat to Bournemouth.
The Brazilian is a cult hero on Tyneside for his all-action displays, and he had been in decent form in front of goal before his recent injury layoff.
Guimaraes has scored nine league goals this season and steered 18 shots on target at an average of 0.79 per 90 minutes.
Leg 3: Bruno Guimaraes 1+ shots on target @ 6/5
Corner count could mount
Set-pieces, and especially corners, have been a reliable source of success for Arsenal for a couple of seasons now, and backing there to be at least 10 at the Emirates looks a logical final leg to our Bet Builder.
The Gunners have won 5.94 per game on average this season while no side have averaged more than Newcastle, who have taken 210 in this season’s Premier League at an average of 6.36 per match.
The Magpies also concede almost five per game, so a line of 9.5 can be beaten on Saturday.
Leg 4: Over 9.5 corners @ 4/7
