"Will find a way through" - Chris Sutton predicts result for PL fixture between Arsenal and Newcastle
BBC pundit Chris Sutton has predicted a victory for Arsenal in their Premier League match against Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium on February 24.
The Gunners will return to league action on Saturday. They will be hoping to shake off a disappointing showing in the UEFA Champions League, where they lost 1-0 at Porto in the Round of 16 first leg.
Mikel Arteta's men will welcome Eddie Howe's Newcastle United, who won the reverse fixture 1-0 in November last year at St James' Park. The North London giants will be hoping to stop the Magpies from doing a double over them this season while also trying to keep up in the title race.
Ahead of the game on Saturday, pundit Sutton has predicted a 2-1 victory in favour of the Gunners. He wrote in his column for BBC:
"There was plenty of controversy when these two sides met at St James' Park in November, including fury towards the VAR from Arsenal over Newcastle's winner. That might mean there is an edge to this game, from the start.
"Arsenal were disappointing in their defeat by Porto on Wednesday, which surprised me a little, but Porto really disrupted them."
Sutton further adder that he expects Newcastle United to replicate what Porto did to Arsenal. However, he still expects the Gunners to find a win and seal a win at the Emirates Stadium. He wrote:
"Newcastle may well try to do the same thing but I am expecting the Gunners to bounce back. They were excellent when I watched them beat Burnley last week and the Magpies concede too many goals. including eight in their past three games, so I think Arsenal will find a way through."
Arsenal are third in the league table, five points behind leaders Liverpool with a game in hand. Meanwhile, Newcastle are eighth.
Mikel Arteta reacts to Arsenal's 1-0 loss against Porto
The Gunners suffered a disappointing UEFA Champions League last 16 first-leg defeat away to Porto at the Estádio do Dragão. A late strike from Brazilian forward Ganelo condemned the Gunners to a 1-0 defeat in a game where they failed to register a single shot on target.
Arteta's men will now have to win the second leg at the Emirates if they are to stand a chance of qualifying for the quarterfinals.
Reacting to his side's performance against Porto, the Spanish tactician said that his team will learn from the defeat. He said via BBC:
"We will learn from it. Now it is clear, it is half-time. If you want to be in the quarter-finals you have to beat your opponent and that will be the purpose and the plan."
The second leg at the Emirates will take place on March 12.