Having managed to climb to safety in the Premier League last season, things haven’t got any easier to watch for the faithful supporters at Newcastle United.
Following the departure of former manager Alan Pardew, the Toon Army have had to watch their side slip back into the relegation zone over Christmas yet again.
To make things worse, Pardew is flourishing with his new Crystal Palace side and manager Steve McClaren has hardly brought much positivity to a glum looking North East side.
Things looked as if they were picking up over December however, with back-to-back victories over Tottenham and Liverpool to raise their Christmas spirits.
However, following a trip back down to earth, recent results have taken a turn for the worst and now Newcastle have to visit an Arsenal side who can’t wait to get on the pitch.
Premier League Form: LDWLLWWDLL
You’d be quite easily forgiven if you’re struggling to work out what sort of season Newcastle are having, but judging from their form on paper it isn’t a good one.
From a possible 30 points over the last ten fixtures, they’ve picked up eleven but their away form does look quite impressive, with two of those wins coming on games away from St. James Park.
Both Bournemouth and Tottenham have slipped up when welcoming Newcastle, so Arsene Wenger will be very aware that anything can happen at the Emirates on Saturday.
Scoring goals however isn’t one of them, and a poor run from their strikers resulted in just 19 goals to shout about, whilst letting in a joint second highest 34 at the other end.
Newcastle deserve some credit though, and their last few results on paper look quite harsh considering their work rate.
In their last game against Everton they were content on holding out for a point after holding off a mountain of pressure for the majority of the game.
Tom Cleverly had different ideas though and popped up with a last-minute header to secure a 1-0 victory, a story that has unfortunately been quite familiar for the boys in black and white.
In their last five games they’ve only conceded four goals, which is an impressive statistic to show McClaren that things are improving as we see in the New Year.
A regular backline that features veteran captain, Fabricio Coloccini, has glued together and stand-in goalkeeper Rob Elliott is beginning to feel comfortable in the first team picture.
Top Goalscorer: Georginio Wijnaldum (7 goals)
Recognised as their standout midfielder on the left flank, the Dutchman is enjoying his debut season in the Premier League, scoring seven goals in 19 appearances.
With pace and agility up his sleeve, Wijnaldum is brimming with confidence and will no doubt prove to be a handful when Hector Bellerin faces up to him.
However, the last time he bagged a goal was back on December 6th so in terms of current form the midfielder could do with a bit of an uplift, and what better place to get it than Arsenal?
In a recent interview the 25-year-old reassured the supporters not to give up faith on the squad, and that they are doing everything possible to turn this campaign around.
He’s got the ability to use either foot, and as well as whipping in a nice cross from time to time there’s always a chance of him cutting in and having a go at the defenders.
Most Assists: Moussa Sissoko (5)
On the opposite side of the midfield we’ve got a player who knows this position better than most, and Sissoko has yet again been a huge impact for Newcastle.
Hard working and always a regular on the team sheet, the 26-year-old has racked up 99 appearances for the club whilst scoring 10 goals in the process.
His eye for a pass however has made him an influential man to have on the right wing, and his ability to cross early has ensured Newcastle make their attacks short and sharp.
Saturday afternoon will provide the winger with one of his toughest tests though, as a rested and in-form Nacho Monreal stands in his way of getting chalk on his boots.
We know what he can do and he’s shown us time and time again he’s not afraid to take people on, with his vision being one of the best attributes to dismantle an opposition.
Expect him to cause problems throughout the game, but with a left-wing that could feature two rested and fully fit Gunners, Wijnaldum could have his work cut out in a defensive aspect, something he’s struggled with over the years.
One To Watch: Aleksandar Mitrovic (Forward)
Controversial, temperamental and yet still capable of pulling off a standout performance at times, you just never know which Mitrovic is going to turn up.
Having bagged three goals already this season, the summer addition is still adapting to life in the Premier League, and is beginning to learn his lesson after seeing red early on.
He’s a handful to deal with in defence and he will try every trick in the book to try and get on the wrong side of Koscielny and Mertesacker.
If the 21-year-old has been doing his homework then he’ll have seen how Koscielny crumbled under the constant pressure of Shane Long and he can no doubt do the same.
Let’s be honest, the chances for Newcastle are going to be limited and when the ball does get up to Mitrovic he’ll need to hold up the play and look to feed off to the wings.
If he can do that then he’ll be wrestling off pressure from the centre backs, and Arsenal can use the same sort of tactics against the striker to frustrate him.
Like us on Facebook by clicking here and follow us on Twitter @Fresh_Arsenal to stay up to date with all the news, blogs and transfer updates. You can now follow our new Instagram page here.