Gunners face wrath of Tyneside

ARSENAL’S visit to Newcastle United tomorrow is one that could all but confirm their bid for the title dead and buried.

Indeed, by the time the Gunners arrive at St James Park on Tyneside, Manchester City could be four points clear of Mikel Arteta’s side, should the Citizens roll over Leeds United, as they are expected to.

Arsenal drew to within one of Man City with their convincing triumph over Chelsea in midweek, but Arteta conceded that the destiny of England’s biggest football prize was no longer in their hands, but rather dependent on the champions themselves.

And given Pep Guardiola’s distinguished record of winning league titles, Erling Haaland’s record-breaking prowess in front of goal and the unmatched efficiency with which City go about playing the game, it is most unlikely that they will slip up at this crucial stage of the campaign. Certainly not with one that beckons a third Premiership crown in a row and a fifth in the last six seasons.

Arsenal, for almost all of the campaign until four games ago, looked set to win the league title for the first time since 2004. But a wretched run of form that saw them fail to win in four straight games before the Chelsea victory, snuffed out any thought of the Emirates celebrating such a success.

Instead, the trip to Newcastle will be one that they will use to try and hold on to an outside chance of still nudging over the line ahead of Man City. And as fate would have it, they are coming up against a side that has bucked the trend and broken into the top four with some style and have fine form of their own.

The Magpies have won their last three league matches on the trot and will not need much prodding to go out there and consolidate their bid for third place, which they are challenging Manchester United for. Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus and Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard appear to be the Magpies’ biggest threats – both were on the scoresheet against the Blues and will be aiming to do more of the same against Newcastle as well.

Influential centre back William Saliba was missing from Arsenal’s line-up when they beat Chelsea, and it is expected that he will miss tomorrow’s game as well. The Gunners’ dip in form coincided with Saliba’s absence. He has been ruled out with a back injury sustained in the middle of March.

Just four days later, they were knocked out of the Europa League by Sporting Lisbon, and then what followed was that dismal run, which surely will cost them the title. The home team’s Callum Wilson has hit a nice patch of form, scoring in each of their last three league outings, in which Newcastle have found the net 13 times, with a half-dozen of those coming against Tottenham a fortnight ago.

Both sides are attack-minded, and goals are likely to be swapped in this fixture, perhaps the winner edging it with the odd strike. In the late kick-off tomorrow, Man United are away to West Ham United but should still win. Erik ten Hag certainly has gotten a lot out of this side, maybe more than any of the other managers that came after Alex Ferguson, barring Jose Mourinho.

And despite the away defeat to Brighton in midweek, the likes of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes are showing some kind of form. With this, the Red Devils might be difficult to bet against at the London Stadium. Languishing just four points off the relegation zone with four games to go, David Moyes will have one eye on the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final first leg clash with Dutch club AZ Alkmaar next Thursday.

And it is that distraction that should tilt the odds in Man United’s favour. However, complacency in this league is often harshly punished, and ten Hag, who has admitted that they do not do very well on the road, will be wary of falling into that trap. Notwithstanding this, they should win tomorrow.