OPPORTUNITIES + PAYBACK
Arsenal play Newcastle United with Champions League qualification up for grabs. With Tottenham stuttering and Liverpool faltering, it appears as that the three London clubs will battle it out for the third and fourth places for two spots in the Champions League. Newcastle, with 5 points adrift of us at fourth place, are the outsiders and they will be up for it if they want to have a crack at playing European football next season.
Newcastle have surprised many people with their performances this season and they have put in impressive results thanks largely to their Senegalese hitman Demba Ba. Though, it has to be said, they have had key performers in Cabaye, Tiote, Ben Arfa, Coloccini and goalie Tim Krul.
Nevertheless, one cannot help but remember the opening match of the season and how we got wrongfully punished by the inept referee because of Joey Barton's acting skills. And add last season's shocking 4-4 result at their ground, and it is clear we still have some unfinished business with the Magpies.
Hopefully, our players would have been well rested after the physically and emotionally draining 3-0 victory against Milan in the Champions League. Andre Santos makes his return after his injury and he makes it to the bench. Mikel Arteta has been passed fit to start after his injury in the Liverpool match and Aaron Ramsey also makes it to the bench after his brief layoff due to injury.
Team Line Ups:
Arsenal(4-2-3-1): Wojciech Szczesny, Kieran Gibbs, Thomas Vermaelen, Laurent Koscielny, Bacary Sagna, Mikel Arteta, Alex Song, Tomas Rosicky, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott, Robin va Persie.
Substitutes: Lukasz Fabianski, Johan Djourou, Andre Santos, Aaron Ramsey, Yossi Benayoun, Gervinho, Marouane Chamakh.
Manager: Arsene Wenger.
Newcastle United(4-5-1): Timothy Krul, Davide Santon, Fabricio Coloccini, Mike Williamson, Danny Simpson, Gabriel Obertan, Jonas Gutierrez, Yohan Cabaye, Ismael Tiote, Hatem Ben Arfa, Demba Ba.
Substitutes: Robert Elliot, Dan Gosling, Haris Vuckic, Danny Guthrie, James Perch, Shola Ameobi, Papiss Demba Cisse.
Manager: Alan Pardew.
Arsenal play Newcastle United with Champions League qualification up for grabs. With Tottenham stuttering and Liverpool faltering, it appears as that the three London clubs will battle it out for the third and fourth places for two spots in the Champions League. Newcastle, with 5 points adrift of us at fourth place, are the outsiders and they will be up for it if they want to have a crack at playing European football next season.
Newcastle have surprised many people with their performances this season and they have put in impressive results thanks largely to their Senegalese hitman Demba Ba. Though, it has to be said, they have had key performers in Cabaye, Tiote, Ben Arfa, Coloccini and goalie Tim Krul.
Nevertheless, one cannot help but remember the opening match of the season and how we got wrongfully punished by the inept referee because of Joey Barton's acting skills. And add last season's shocking 4-4 result at their ground, and it is clear we still have some unfinished business with the Magpies.
Hopefully, our players would have been well rested after the physically and emotionally draining 3-0 victory against Milan in the Champions League. Andre Santos makes his return after his injury and he makes it to the bench. Mikel Arteta has been passed fit to start after his injury in the Liverpool match and Aaron Ramsey also makes it to the bench after his brief layoff due to injury.
Team Line Ups:
Arsenal(4-2-3-1): Wojciech Szczesny, Kieran Gibbs, Thomas Vermaelen, Laurent Koscielny, Bacary Sagna, Mikel Arteta, Alex Song, Tomas Rosicky, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott, Robin va Persie.
Substitutes: Lukasz Fabianski, Johan Djourou, Andre Santos, Aaron Ramsey, Yossi Benayoun, Gervinho, Marouane Chamakh.
Manager: Arsene Wenger.
Newcastle United(4-5-1): Timothy Krul, Davide Santon, Fabricio Coloccini, Mike Williamson, Danny Simpson, Gabriel Obertan, Jonas Gutierrez, Yohan Cabaye, Ismael Tiote, Hatem Ben Arfa, Demba Ba.
Substitutes: Robert Elliot, Dan Gosling, Haris Vuckic, Danny Guthrie, James Perch, Shola Ameobi, Papiss Demba Cisse.
Manager: Alan Pardew.
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