Will Arsenal be brave enough to break Newcastle's block?

Football writer Adrian Clarke identifies the key players, team tactics and where matches could be won and lost in Matchweek 6.

Team analysis: Newcastle United v Arsenal

Tight, fiercely contested matches have been a theme of Newcastle v Arsenal fixtures in recent seasons, and they meet at St James’ Park on Sunday.

Handbrake on or off for Arteta?

In big matches Mikel Arteta has been criticised for choosing a cautious approach, so after taking a solitary point against rivals Manchester City and Liverpool, will he take the handbrake off and be bolder this weekend?

The inclusion or otherwise of Spain international Mikel Merino will be of major interest when the teamsheet lands.

Arteta has great trust in the 29-year-old, a tactically intelligent and versatile player.

Yet his place in midfield alongside Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi is seen as a pragmatic choice among the Arsenal fanbase.

In the 13 matches in all competitions when Rice and Merino have started in the same midfield, Arteta’s side have won just three times.

They have played three times in the UEFA Champions League, of which two were wins, so in the Premier League their record is one win in 10 starts.

Premier League results with Rice and Merino in midfield since 24/25

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The more popular choice would be to select a player in the mould of Martin Odegaard, Eberechi Eze or Ethan Nwaneri as their central attacking midfielder on Sunday.

These two chalkboards from last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Man City show how Eze is a more adventurous pick in the No 10 position than Merino, who only made one progressive pass inside the final third.

Merino passes and shots first half v Man City

*Green= successful pass; Red= failed pass

Eze passes and shots second half v Man City

*Green= successful pass/shot; Red= failed pass; Yellow= assist

Statistically, of those available, Eze and fit-again Bukayo Saka are Arsenal’s two best creators.

Arsenal's most creative players 25/26

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If captain Odegaard is fit, he will play at No 10 with Eze on the left, but after scoring and assisting this week in a central spot, the former Crystal Palace star is an option to play behind Viktor Gyokeres.

That would open the door for Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli – both in fine form in cup competitions – to start on the left.

With Arsenal five points off top spot and facing opponents who have already lost at home to Liverpool and Barcelona, it feels like the right moment for an attacking selection.

Arteta’s choice is sure to determine the type of contest we see.

Two robust backlines

Arsenal are one of the best defensive outfits in European football, but with four clean sheets in five games, Newcastle are also formidable out-of-possession.

Eddie Howe has used a back three twice, goalless draws at Leeds United and AFC Bournemouth, but is expected to start with his favoured 4-3-3 in this encounter.

Howe's potential 4-3-3 formation v Arsenal

The Magpies’ defensive numbers are outstanding.

No team has faced fewer shots or has a lower Expected Goals Against (xGA) tally in 2025/26.

Newcastle will also take heart from limiting Aston Villa and Liverpool to just three and five shots respectively during the early phase of this campaign.

Teams with best defences 25/26

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Arsenal have only conceded once from open play, when Erling Haaland finished off a Man City counter-attack last Sunday.

Both sets of attackers will have to play well to create chances against each other's backline.

Will returning stars make the difference?

Back from a three-match ban, Anthony Gordon will have a big role to play, but where will he be used?

New signing Nick Woltemade should get the nod up top, but all three of Gordon's starts have been as a striker, so Gordon may be preferred down the middle.

Despite missing three games, no Newcastle player has had more goal attempts (10), but he has spurned three big chances.

Only Bournemouth’s David Brooks (11) has had more shots without scoring than Gordon in the Premier League this season.

Newcastle's striker options compared 25/26

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Gordon’s record against Arsenal is excellent.

He scored a winner in a 1-0 success at St James’ Park in November 2023, before netting home and away against them in last season’s EFL Cup semi-final.

Gordon’s wonderful cross on the run also set up Alexander Isak to score the only goal of the game in last November’s 1-0 success.

With 6ft 6in Woltemade posing a huge threat in the air, this kind of delivery could make all the difference on Sunday.

Saka’s return to fitness is also well-timed, following the loss of Noni Madueke to a knee injury.

He scored a fantastic goal against Leeds in Matchweek 2 and has constantly tested opposition left-backs with his sharp ball-carrying.

Saka's goal v Leeds

Saka is also adding greater variety to his play and is showing more intent to go on the outside of his marker than last season.

His attempted dribbles per match has risen from 4.2 in 2024/25 to 6.2 this season, which is evidence of Saka's greater positive intent.

Dribbles attempted per 90 25/26 (min. 180 mins played)

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If Arsenal can get him on the ball, Saka will make it a very testing afternoon for England team-mate Tino Livramento.

Can either side take advantage of their pressing?

Gordon scored from a successful high press the last time Arsenal visited St James’ Park, punishing a sloppy pass from David Raya to score.

On that occasion Declan Rice came short to receive the ball but was tackled on the edge of the box by Newcastle defender Fabian Schar.

Both sides have been very aggressive in their press in 2025/26, without taking full advantage.

Newcastle have made more high turnovers than any other side but have mustered just six shots (15 per cent) from those situations.

Most of those transitions have come when the ball has entered midfield, however.

Arsenal have fared even worse, taking only three shots from 33 high turnovers (9.1 per cent).

Most high turnovers 25/26

Gyokeres is one of the most ferocious pressing centre-forwards in the division, with qualities that should help Arsenal score goals from turnovers.

He will try to unsettle Dan Burn and Schar when the hosts play out from the back.

Brighton & Hove Albion’s Danny Welbeck is the only striker to average more high-intensity pressures inside the final third.

So Arsenal will be hoping this is the day where Gyokeres’ endeavours reap rewards.

Strikers with most high-intensity pressures in final third 25/26

Can Arsenal buck recent trend?

Eddie Howe has won five of 12 head-to-heads against Mikel Arteta, including three successive victories, with a clean sheet, at St James’ Park.

Given how strong Arsenal are on the road, losing just one of their last 16 away matches in the Premier League, that is an impressive record.

Howe wants these matches to be physical, stop-start affairs that disrupt the Gunners’ rhythm, and his players have responded well to those instructions.

Arteta's side were frustrated by a solid mid-to-low block in their last two league visits to St James' Park, and registered just one shot on target in each of those contests.

The challenge for Arsenal this time around is to see if they can avoid being drawn into another scrappy, physical contest.

Their aim will be to play through Newcastle’s robust midfield with sharper passing and movement through the thirds.

Having scored from balls played over the last line in each of their last five matches in all competitions, Arsenal will also try to catch the hosts off guard with longer passes too.

With Liverpool putting distance between themselves and Arsenal, this feels like a match where Arteta and his players must target three points.