Arsenal vs Newcastle: Both teams looking for strong start to 2023

Topics: TV Schedules, TV Listings, Arsenal, Newcastle United, English Premier League

Two teams who have generated a lot of buzz thanks to their surprisingly great starts to the season will go head to head in an intriguing clash on Tuesday, January 3rd.

Both Arsenal and Newcastle have had surprisingly good starts to the 2022/23 season, with the Gunners currently still leading the way while the Magpies are in contention for Champions League football. Presently in first spot, with a seven point lead over reigning champions Manchester City, Mikel Arteta's side will hope to further extend that lead as they prepare to welcome Newcastle for their first league game of 2023.

The hosts come into this game having managed to survive a nervy six-goal thriller against West Brom, during which they went from 3-0 up to conceding two goals, but Arteta's youthful team did just enough to pick up what was their 14th victory of the season and head into 2023 on top of the league table. So far, Arsenal have picked up 43 points from their first 16 games, which has many of their legions of fans dreaming that this maybe could be the year the team ends their long wait for the Premier League title.

Of course, there's still plenty of football to be played, meaning that Arsenal have a lot of work to do between now and May as anything is possible. Newcastle, for their part, were held to a frustrating scoreless draw with Leeds last time out, but the Magpies have been one of the biggest revelations this season and certainly have what it takes to cause Arsenal quite a bit of worries as the two teams prepare to meet on Tuesday.

While Arsenal have manged to keep 28 clean sheets against Newcastle - which is more than against any other opponent - they did lose 2-0 in the two sides' meeting back in May. Furthermore, Newcastle are unbeaten in their last 12 Premier League games extending back to August, but will hope to overturn a frustrating hoodoo that has seen them lose in their last 11 trips to the Emirates.

Team news: Arsenal vs Newcastle

Arsenal: Emile Smith Rowe has reportedly returned to action after an injury lay-off and could make the substitutes' list, but both Gabriel Jesus and Reiss Nelson are still on the treatment table.

Newcastle: The visitors come into this match with quite a few players out injured, including Alexander Isak, Jonjo Shelvey, Matt Targett, Emil Krafth and Paul Dummett.

Match facts: Arsenal vs Newcastle

Arsenal have won their last 11 home matches against Newcastle across all comps
They have also kept 28 clean sheets against Newcastle in the Premier League - more than against any other of their opponents
Newcastle have won just one of their last ten first league game of the new year (D2 L7), which was a 1-0 result against Stoke in 2018
Arsenal lost 2-1 to Manchester City in their first game of 2022...and are hoping to avoid losing back to back matches at this juncture for the first time since the 1995/96 years, when they were beaten by Newcastle
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has never beaten Arsenal away from home, with six losses from his last six meetings