From one North London opponent to the other. Newcastle United looked good in dispatching Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 yesterday. Can they do the same to Arsenal FC, the other North London side, in midweek? The Magpies are riding a nice wave of momentum right now, having not lost in a month, and going unblemished in the six matches played over that span.
What has been the key to having this incredibly scorching hot run of form? Well, you definitely have to credit the team’s fitness situation, which is far better than last term.
Arsenal FC vs Newcastle United FYIs
Competition: EFL Cup Semifinal, Leg 1/2
Kick: Tue. Jan. 7, 8pm, Emirates Stadium, London, UK
Team News: Arsenal FC Newcastle United
Starting XI Predictions: Arsenal FC Newcastle United
How They Got Here:
Arsenal FC- Quarterfinals: Crystal Palace 3-2, Round of 16: Preston 3-0, Third Round: Bolton 5-1
Newcastle United- Quarterfinals: Brentford 3-1, Round of 16: Chelsea 32-0, Third Round: AFC Wimbledon 1-0 Second Round: Nottingham Forest 1-1 (4-3 penalties)
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has had far fewer injuries to contend with this season, and he’s done a better job contending with the injuries that he has had to endure.
Newcastle United Starting XI Prediction vs Arsenal FC
Martin Dubravka; Tino Livramento, Lloyd Kelly, Dan Burn, Lewis Hall; Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Joelinton; Jacob Murphy, Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.