Newcastle v Arsenal: Magpies can upset distracted Gunners

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Newcastle v Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & Premier League, 2pm Sunday

Best bet

Newcastle
1pt 13-5 bet365

Team news

Newcastle
Steve Bruce has confirmed that Callum Wilson will make his first start since February, while Matt Ritchie is likely to shake off a calf problem. On-loan Joe Willock is ineligible against his parent club and Jamaal Lascelles, Ryan Fraser and Karl Darlow are long-term absentees.

Arsenal
Mikel Arteta is expected to rotate his team with an eye on Thursday's Europa League second leg against Villarreal. Kieran Tierney and Alexandre Lacazette are close to returns but are unlikely to be risked.

Match preview

Few would argue with the notion that Arsenal's season now hinges on winning the Europa League and in-form Newcastle could take advantage of the distracted Gunners at St James' Park.

Although not mathematically impossible, European qualification through their Premier League position is unlikely and Mikel Arteta's priority has to be earning the Champions League spot provided by winning its sister competition.

After losing 2-1 at Villarreal in the first leg, Thursday's return game at the Emirates is massive and Arteta is expected to rest his biggest stars for this Tyneside tussle.

If that's the case, Steve Bruce will fancy his players to continue their recent upturn in form. A run of one defeat in eight has all but sealed their survival and secured the boss' place in the dugout for next season.

Having struggled through a miserable winter, it's no surprise that their improvement has coincided with the returns to fitness of Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson and Bruce has confirmed that Wilson will make his first start since February 6.

Midfielder Sean Longstaff also deserves credit for shaking off both form and fitness worries to add a nice blend of power and poise to the Magpies' midfield. The 23-year-old's drive will be vital with Joe Willock, who scored the equaliser in last Saturday's 1-1 draw at Liverpool, ineligible to face his parent club.

Willock's impact since joining in January has been significant and, while far from the finished article, the spark he provides off the bench has been absent from an Arsenal side plagued by lethargy.

Arteta's decision to start without a striker against Villarreal raised eyebrows and after trailing 2-0 after 29 minutes, the Gunners were fortunate to escape the Estadio de la Ceramica with an away goal courtesy of Nicolas Pepe's penalty.

That selection suggests that Eddie Nketiah will get the nod at Newcastle but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is still not fit enough to start after a bout of malaria. The Gabon international is instead likely to feature from the bench and he has a fine record against the Magpies, netting five times in the pair's last four meetings in all competitions, including a brace in January's 3-0 win in the reverse fixture.

Aubameyang's status as Arsenal's captain means he'll be desperate to get some minutes and perhaps earn a place in Thursday's team. He'll also be aware that Newcastle are a side who give up chances - they have kept just one league clean sheet at home all season. However, the Gunners are equally leaky, recording just a single shutout in their last 12 outings.

That could be where they fall down on Tyneside and it would be no surprise to see Bruce's boys, who are unbeaten in five at home, claiming just their second win against the Gunners since 2010.

Key stat

Newcastle are unbeaten in their last five home matches.

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