Author: Soorya G
Newcastle – Arsenal
As hopeful title contenders, Arsenal will be looking to maintain their momentum until the end of the season, while hoping for an upset from current league leaders Manchester City.
The Londoners face Newcastle United, who will be full of confidence after an excellent season and their first full league campaign under Eddie Howe after the takeover. The Magpies are currently in third place with 65 points, 13 points behind their opponents on Sunday, and just two points ahead of Manchester United, who have a game in hand.
However, finishing in the top four shouldn’t worry Newcastle too much, as they have quite an advantage over other teams chasing Champions League qualification. Barring any major surprises or unexpected disasters, the top four positions shouldn’t change too much as we approach the final games of the season, although a change in the top four wouldn’t be too surprising. This ‘switch’ will be exactly what Arsenal are hoping for, as only a major slip-up by Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City can restore the Londoners’ title hopes.
Three consecutive draws in the Premier League against Liverpool, West Ham and Southampton, games in which the Gunners were expected to win, before a defeat at the Etihad to Manchester City, altered Mikel Arteta’s attempt to secure the league title after what seemed to be the culmination of his long project. Meanwhile, Eddie Howe will be delighted to secure a Champions League place for his club in his first full season in charge. Newcastle have been fantastic, and most of their success can be attributed to their solid defense, led by veteran Kieran Trippier. Newcastle will want to finish the season on a high, and a win against Arsenal would be a great way to do that.
Team news:
A full-strength line-up is expected from both sides, although Howe may rotate some key players to preserve their fitness.
Arsenal:
Ramsdale; White, Gabriel, Segurando, Zinchenko; Xhaka, Partey, Odegaard; Saka, Martinelli, Trossard;
Newcastle:
Papa; Trippier, Botman, Schar, Burn; Guimaraes,Joelinton, Willock; Almiron, Gordon, Isak;
Key players
Brazilian star Gabriel Martinelli has been crucial under Arteta and has scored an impressive 15 goals from the left flank. He will be in the spotlight on Sunday.
Kieran Trippier has been one of the stars of the season in the Premier League, due to his performance both in attacking sequences and in the defensive structure of the side. His role on Sunday cannot be underestimated.
Forecasts:
Arsenal to win
The pursuit of the title makes them slight favorites.
Xhaka dominates once again
The Swiss has excelled in midfield and is key to the smooth running of Arsenal’s system.
Callum Wilson to impress
The striker has been in excellent touch lately and could cause problems for Arsenal’s fragile defensive duo.
Bournemouth – Chelsea
Elsewhere, Arsenal’s rivals Chelsea will face Bournemouth in a bid to avoid a seventh consecutive defeat under manager Frank Lampard. The Englishman’s appointment has brought no benefit to the west Londoners, which is understandable given that the team has been unable to adapt to the frequent changes in personnel and support staff and, as a result, has fallen perilously close to the relegation zone. However, the Blues still have five games left in the season and will be fighting to escape the relegation zone and, ideally, finish in mid-table.
His 39 points in 33 games is one of his worst performances, and the hope will be for a quick recovery. A win against Bournemouth would be a step in the right direction, and also something Chelsea believe is within their grasp. They were completely dominated in their previous game, where they suffered a humiliating 3-1 defeat to their long-time rivals. Despite the bitter defeat, Chelsea can take solace in the fact that Noni Madueke managed to score his first goal for the club. Bournemouth, meanwhile, are in excellent form, having lost just two of their seven games since April. They seem to have avoided what looked like inevitable relegation and will now push for a positive result against Chelsea.
Team news
Given the position of the two sides, both teams won’t be taking any chances and will probably field their starters.
Chelsea:
Kepa; James, Fofana, Silva, Chilwell; Kante, Kovacic, Enzo; Madueke, Sterling, Aubameyang;
Bournemouth:
Neto; Smith, Senesi, Kelly, Vina; Rothwell, Lerma; Outtara, Billing, Christite, Solanke;
Key players
Raheem Sterling will be a key player for the Blues on Saturday. His intense pace and technique can overcome the best defenders, and that’s what he’s expected to do.
Brazilian Neto will have a big role to play. Bournemouth will rely on their defense to get a positive result, and Neto’s responsibilities will be high in this regard.
Forecasts:
Bournemouth win:
Chelsea are currently on a disastrous run of form and look nowhere near a win, which means Bournemouth will start as favorites.
Kovacic to orchestrate Chelsea’s midfield
The Croatian has been a great asset to Chelsea over the years and will be keen to build on his recent form.
Solanke to score
The center forward has been in good form and has shown that he has the ability to score important goals. He could be a big threat for Chelsea on Saturday.