Premier League leaders Arsenal will host Newcastle United in their first game of 2023.

The Gunners saw off Brighton 4-2 last time out to enter the new year seven points clear of Manchester City. Never before has a team with such a lead failed to win the title.

They’re up against a Newcastle side with their own lofty ambitions. Eddie Howe’s Magpies are chasing Champions League qualification but saw their winning streak ended by a frustrating 0-0 draw with Leeds at the weekend.

Here’s all you need to know about this one.

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Arsenal vs Newcastle H2H Results (Last Five Games)

Current Form (Last Five Games)

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Arsenal team news

Takehiro Tomiyasu returned from injury against Brighton and will likely keep his place on the bench for this one, although there will be no sign of either Gabriel Jesus or Reiss Nelson.

Elsewhere, Emile Smith Rowe is knocking on the door of a return to the first team. He’s back in training but, having not played since early September, there will be no rushing him back into competitive action.

Arsenal Starting 11 (4-2-3-1): Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Xhaka, Partey; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Nketiah.
Bench: Turner, Holding, Tierney, Cedric, Tomiyasu, Elneny, Lokonga, Vieira, Marquinhos.

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Newcastle team news

The biggest decision for Howe to make comes up top. Chris Wood started against Leeds but Callum Wilson was fit enough to play half an hour and might get the nod from the get-go in such an important game.

Similarly, Allan Saint-Maximin could reclaim his point on the left wing, forcing Joelinton back into midfield.

Alexander Isak, Jonjo Shelvey, Matt Targett, Emil Krafth and Paul Dummett all remain unavailable through various injuries.

Newcastle Starting 11 (4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Almiron, Wilson, Saint-Maximin.
Bench: Darlow, Lascelles, Lewis, Manquillo, Ritchie, Anderson, Willock, Murphy, Wood.

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This is not an easy one to predict.

Arsenal are flying and scoring goals for fun, but they haven’t always been perfect at the back and that will give Newcastle plenty of confidence that they can find a way through – as long as they can address the profligacy bug that plagued their draw with Leeds.

A win for either side wouldn’t come as much of a surprise, so a draw may end up being the fair result.

Prediction: Arsenal 1-1 Newcastle