Newcastle and Arsenal faced off in a highly anticipated Premier League match at St. James' Park on September 28, 2025. Both teams entered the match with mixed starts to their campaigns, further complicated by injury concerns.
Going into the game, Newcastle had a strong recent record against Arsenal, winning five of their last nine meetings across all competitions, and keeping clean sheets in each of those victories. Arsenal, on the other hand, had struggled in recent trips to Newcastle, losing four of their last five and only scoring twice in that period.
Team News and Lineups
Both Eddie Howe and Mikel Arteta had to contend with injury issues and make some tough decisions regarding their starting lineups.
Newcastle was without Yoane Wissa (knee) and Jacob Ramsey (ankle), while Fabian Schar was likely out due to a concussion. However, Anthony Gordon returned to the team after serving a three-match ban. Newcastle's starting XI featured Pope in goal; Murphy, Thiaw, Burn, Botman, and Livramento in defense; Guimaraes, Tonali, and Joelinton in midfield; and Gordon and Woltemade leading the attack.
Arsenal welcomed back Martin Odegaard, who had been sidelined with a shoulder injury. Noni Madueke (knee), Piero Hincapie (groin), Gabriel Jesus (ACL), and Kai Havertz (knee) remained out. Bukayo Saka was fit to start after recovering from a hamstring issue. Arsenal's predicted lineup included Raya in goal; Gabriel, Timber, and Calafiori in defense; Zubimendi, Rice, and Odegaard in midfield; and Saka, Gyokeres, and Eze in attack. However, William Saliba was benched.
Match Expectations
Newcastle has been defensively solid, having faced the fewest shots and boasting the best expected goals against tally in the Premier League this season. However, their shot conversion rate has been among the lowest. Arsenal needed to be efficient in attack and careful in their decision-making when moving the ball into midfield, as Newcastle excels at winning the ball back in those areas.
Mikel Arteta emphasized the need for his team to dominate the match and be prepared for Newcastle's rapid transitions. He also acknowledged the difficulty of playing at St. James' Park and the need to be more efficient in attack compared to their previous visits.
With both teams eager to secure a positive result, the match promised to be a hard-fought contest.
