Arsenal vs Newcastle United: Preview, team news and what managers said
Arsenal have a chance to reclaim the top spot in the Premier League when Newcastle United travel to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday evening, April 25, 2026, kicking off what could be a decisive stretch of the season.
Match overview
For the first time since early October, the Gunners will begin a league fixture outside first place. Still, with an opportunity to climb back to the summit, Mikel Arteta’s side will aim to extend their strong home record against a Newcastle team that has failed to secure a win in their last 13 league visits to north London.
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With two consecutive home league matches before Manchester City return to action, Arsenal have a window to widen the gap at the top. These fixtures also come amid their UEFA Champions League semi-final campaign, as they chase success on both domestic and continental fronts.
Newcastle, meanwhile, have endured a difficult campaign. The departure of Alexander Isak in the summer disrupted their momentum, and they have spent most of the season outside the top half. Currently sitting 14th, they arrive having lost eight of their last 11 league matches.
Although they briefly showed promise between November and January, climbing as high as fifth, their European involvement appears to have taken its toll. A run to the Champions League round of 16 masked their domestic struggles, but a heavy aggregate defeat to FC Barcelona ended their continental hopes and further dented morale.
Back-to-back setbacks against Sunderland AFC and Crystal Palace, where they squandered winning positions, added to a growing list of dropped points. Another loss at home to AFC Bournemouth last weekend has intensified scrutiny around manager Eddie Howe.
What managers said
Speaking ahead of the clash, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said:
“It’s five games to go, four weeks, two big competitions to play in and everything to play for. If someone had told us that at the beginning of the season, we would have taken it, and we are so excited, and tomorrow is game one,” Arteta noted.
“Every game will be different, so we’ll focus on the priorities and the things that we can do to help the players arrive in the best state possible with the team. Make sure that we have all the players available, which is one of the most important things and a big lesson that we learn from it, and give them confidence, trust and belief that we’re going to do it.” He added.
On the other side, Howe admitted his squad is going through a rough patch, stating: “We’re all feeling that pain at the moment. It’s been a difficult period for us. We’ve prided ourselves historically on if we lose, fighting to the end and giving everything to try and get a result.”
“I feel the players are currently lacking in a little bit of confidence. There’s only one way to re-find that though and that’s through, in my opinion, hard work, a really good period of training, players staying very stable mentally and seeing it for what it is.” He added.
In terms of team news, Bukayo Saka is set to return after recovering from an Achilles problem that sidelined him for five matches, while Riccardo Calafiori could also feature. However, Jurrien Timber and Mikel Merino remain unavailable due to injury.
Team news
For Newcastle, Anthony Gordon is ruled out, and Tino Livramento may miss the rest of the season with a hamstring issue. Joelinton is suspended, though captain Bruno Guimaraes is back in contention after returning to training. Long-term absentees Fabian Schar and Emil Krafth remain sidelined.
Tactically, Newcastle typically deploy a 4-3-3 system built on energetic midfielders and quick wide players, though Howe has occasionally experimented with alternative setups. Their attacking threat often comes through rapid counter-attacks led by players like Anthony Elanga, Harvey Barnes, and Jacob Murphy, while William Osula provides an option up front.
Despite their attacking potential, defensive frailties have been a major issue. Newcastle have managed just one clean sheet since mid-January and have conceded at least twice in most of their recent matches. Their struggles on the road have also been evident, with only four away wins all season.
Historically, Arsenal have dominated this fixture at home, winning the majority of recent encounters since moving to the Emirates in 2006. With both teams heading in contrasting directions, Saturday’s clash could prove pivotal in shaping the final weeks of the campaign.
