Arsenal vs. Newcastle: Match Preview

Arsenal face off against Newcastle for the second time in four days this Tuesday as they look to record yet another win against the Magpies.

The Gunners have already defeated the Magpies twice this season, although they were held to a 1-1 draw in the league in early December. The latest match between the two sides was a 3-0 home win for Arsenal as the Gunners progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

Arsenal's FA Cup win, which saw Newcastle defeated by an under-strength Arsenal side, will instill the young Gunners with confidence. Kolo Toure, Alex Song, and Emmanuel Eboue are all on international duty at the African Cup of Nations. Arsene Wenger will also be missing Johan Djourou, Neves Denilson, and Robin van Persie due to injury, but a nearly full-strength Arsenal side should be able to handle the off-color Magpies.

Newcastle on the other hand have not won in their last six Premier League outings, and although manager Kevin Keegan will be looking to improve on that record, he openly admits that his players are low on confidence. Injuries to Tim Krul and Peter Ramage will do nothing to help Keegan's cause, although the absences Nigeria's Obafemi Martins, Cameroon's Geremi, and Sengal duo Habib Beye and Abdoulaye Faye will be more conspicuous.

Manuel Almunia will return in Arsenal's goal after Jens Lehmann took up the gloves in the FA Cup.

The back four is likely to see only one change from the side which faced Newcastle on Saturday, with Justin Hoyte likely to be replaced by the more experienced Bacary Sagna. Captain William Gallas, the vastly improved Philippe Senderos, and the ever-impressive Gael Clichy will complete an Arsenal defense that will be happy with no less than a clean sheet.

Tomas Rosicky looks to have recovered from the injury which saw him limp off of the field in the FA Cup, so he should rejoin Cesc Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini in the midfield. Alex Hleb, who made a late substitute appearance on Saturday should take the place of ball-hog Abou Diaby for the more important League fixture.

Up front Emmanuel Adebayor is a sure-shot starter, after bagging 8 goals in his last 6 games, including a brace against Newcastle. Eduardo is the most likely candidate to join the tall Togolese striker, although Nicklas Bendtner could feature if, as Adebayor has suggested, the two have reconciled from an argument at White Heart Lane.

Kevin Keegan may do a great job at Newcastle, but I doubt that he will start winning at the Emirates, a ground where Arsenal have only lost once. I predict a 2-0 victory for the Gunners.

Arsenal Chase Everton's Joleon Lescott

Rumor has it that Everton defender Joleon Lescott is on Arsene Wenger's radar. However, the Arsenal manager has stated that he is unlikely to splash out any cash in the January transfer window.

Arsenal are without defenders Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue for much of January and February due to the African Cup of Nations and a recent injury to Toure may rule the central defender out for a longer period of time. Swiss defender Johan Djourou has also been injured, leaving Arsenal with only two fit central defenders in William Gallas and the injury-prone Philippe Senderos.

Wenger does not want to overload his squad with unnecessary players, and considers holding midfielder Gilberto a candidate for a spot in the center of defense if the need arises. However, With Manchester United also reportedly interested in bagging the England international defender a transfer to Arsenal looks extremely unlikely.

Nonetheless, Lescott would be a great addition to the Arsenal squad. A versatile defender, he has often been deployed at left back although his natural position is center back. This means that he could cover for Gallas, Toure, and Gael Clichy, making him a great squad player.

Lescott's hight would make him useful in defending set pieces, which has been one of Arsenal's major weak points over the last few seasons. In addition, the 25 year-old's goalscoring prowess would add yet another dimension to Arsenal's impressive offensive capabilities. Lescott has scored 5 league goals for the Toffees in 24 starts this season, a great return for a defender.

Lescott would be a great signing for Arsenal, although he would cost a tidy sum of cash considering that Everton manager David Moyes would be unwilling to part with one of his key players. I can't see the transfer going through, but I can always hope!

Arsenal vs. Newcastle: Match Review

Arsenal emphatically defeated Kevin Keegan's Newcastle in the FA Cup Fourth Round to dim memories of an embarrassing defeat at White Hear Lane. The Gunners won 3-0 at the Emirates thanks to a second half brace from Emmanuel Adebayor and a late own goal from Nicky Butt. Arsene Wenger will be hoping that his team can repeat the victory when Newcastle travel to London to face Arsenal in the Premier League on Tuesday.

Lineups:
Arsenal: Jens Lehmann, Gael Clichy, William Gallas, Philippe Senderos, Justin Hoyte; Abou Diaby, Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini, Tomas Rosicky; Emmanuel Adebayor, Theo Walcott

Newcastle: Shay Given; Claudio Cacapa, Steven Taylor, Jose Enrique, Stephen Carr; Nicky Butt, James Milner, Charles N'Zogbia, Damien Duff; Michael Owen, Alan Smith

Arsenal started brightly, nearly snatching a fifth minute lead after a long ball from central defender Philippe Senderos. The ball fell just ahead of Cesc Fabregas who was unable to generate enough power at full stretch to beat Shay Given.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger was then forced into an early substitution as Czech Republic captain Tomas Rosicky limped off the field in the 9th minute to be replaced by Croatian striker Eduardo.

The highly offensive lineup left Arsenal susceptible to counterattacks, and Newcastle nearly grabbed the lead after a quarter of an hour when Alan Smith saw his shot cleared off the line by the head of Gael Clichy.

The French left-back was active at the other end soon after, forcing a save out of Shay Given after curling a goalbound effort from the corner of the Newcastle penalty box.

Given, who was kept busy all night, was forced into a near post save from Eduardo after a defensive error Stephen Taylor let the goal poacher into the 18 yard box.

Arsenal were beginning to pressure the Newcastle defense, with Emmanuel Adebayor heading just wide and Abou Diaby forcing an acrobatic save out of Given before half time. The Magpies managed to hold the game level at 0-0 until half time and looked a far better side under Kevin Keegan's management.

They could do nothing to stop Adebayor's first goal in the 51st minute, though. Eduardo made himself some space on the edge of the penalty box and sent a curling shot against Given's post with the keeper well beaten. Newcastle's defenders failed to clear the ball and Adebayor powered the ball into the left corner to grab Arsenal's 100th goal at the Emirates.

Newcastle were not yet beaten though, and Michael Owen thought he had won his side a penalty when the ball looked to have been flicked up onto Senderos' arm in the box. Referee Martin Atkinson waved play on though, and it was Arsenal who would once again score as the game began to open up.

Adebayor showed a huge amount of class to hold off two defenders and draw Shay Given out of goal. The Togo striker, who has already scored 16 league goals for Arsenal this season, finished brilliantly with a low shot past last man Steven Taylor.

Arsenal were already in the fifth round with a 2-0 lead, but Nicky Butt granted the Gunners a third goal when he headed into his own net after a Cesc Fabregas free-kick. The third goal was harsh, and Newcastle fans will feel that the scoreline did not accurately depict the nature of the game.

Nonetheless, Arsenal will be high on confidence going into Tuesday's important league fixture against Newcastle, and look to be getting back on track after a disappointing loss to Tottenham last week.

Kolo Toure Injured In Ivory Coast Match

Arsenal and Ivory Coast defender Kolo Toure may have picked up a long term injury on international duty with his country. The center back was stretchered off on the stroke of half time as his country defeated Benin 4-1 in the African Cup of Nations.

Toure set up a goal for his brother, Barcelona's Yaya Toure, in the 44th minute, but was stretchered off holding his groin minutes later. The injury is suspected to be a groin strain, which could keep the defender out for two to three weeks.

With the African Cup of Nations due to end on February 10th, Kolo Toure is unlikely to feature again for the Ivory Coast in this tournament. Due to the nature of his injury, Toure could be out for as long as six or more weeks, making him a major doubt for the Gunners February 11th fixture against Blackburn even in the unlikely situation that his country fails to make it far into the tournament.

More importantly, Toure could miss Arsenal's Champions League knockout stage match against AC Milan at the Emirates on February 20th.

The central defender, one of the most important figures in the Arsenal squad, has already been sorely missed during his Cup of Nations absence. His presence could be one of the key factors in Arsenal's chances of progression to the next round.

Although Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has Johan Djourou, Philippe Senderos, and Alex Song to replace Toure at center back, Gunners fans will feel far more secure as soon as their first-choice central defensive pairing is ready to play.

Wenger will be hoping that Toure's injury is not as serious as expected, as the defender's injury could, in part, decide this season's Premier League winners.

Flamini Seeks New Deal At Arsenal

Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini, who almost left the Gunners in the summer, is hopeful that the club will extend his contract. The Frenchman's current contract runs out this summer, and although he has been in talks with the club, the two parties have yet to agree to a new deal.

Flamini's contract situation has seen the holding midfielder linked with Italian giants Juventus and Spanish team Valencia. However, Flamini insists that he would like to stay at Arsenal.

"I'm talking with the club. I am very happy and have some close friends here," said Flamini.

"I really hope that I will be staying and I'm very optimistic about it.

"Arsenal is my priority and I hope that everything gets sorted out because I love this club - the atmosphere is amazing, the new stadium, the supporters, everything.

"We are creating a new story here and I want to be part of that story."

Flamini was frustrated by a lack of first-team chances last season, but his impressive form this term has seen him take the place of Brazil captain Gilberto Silva. A virtual ever-present in the heart of the Arsenal squad alongside Cesc Fabregas, Flamini would be very difficult to replace.

Arsenal fans will be hoping that a new contract deal comes through before too many offers begin to come in.

Arsenal vs. Newcastle: Match Preview

Kevin Keegan's Newcastle United will travel to the Emirates this Saturday to face Arsenal in the fourth round of the FA Cup. The 12th placed Magpies will be hopeful of pulling off an unlikely victory after Arsenal crashed out of the Carling Cup in a 6-2 aggregate loss to Tottenham Hotspur.

Keegan would like to get his second managerial spell at Newcastle off to a winning start, but he faces tough opposition in the Gunners who will see the returns from injury of Gael Clichy and Philippe Senderos. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will still be missing Robin van Persie and Johan Djourou, and Neves Denilson, who featured against Tottenham midweek, is a late addition to the injury list after straining his muscle in the 5-1 loss.

Newcastle will have nearly their full complement of players available, with only Mark Viduka and Peter Ramage likely to be absent. The Magpies will also be full of energy, trying to prove themselves to their new manager.

Arsenal will also be looking to prove themselves after the embarassment at White Heart Lane a few nights ago, but the Gunners will also be facing some tough conditions after reports of a bust-up between strikers Emmanuel Adebayor and Nicklas Bendtner.

Arsene Wenger has assured Arsenal fans that he will rotate the squad from the one which faced Tottenham on Tuesday, although the manager is likely to rest some of his key players ahead of a Premier League game against Newcastle only three days after this match.

Jens Lehmann may start in goal as he did in the third round of the FA Cup against Burnley as Manuel Almunia gets a deserved rest.

In the defense, Armand Traore, Philippe Senderos, William Gallas, and Justin Hoyte are likely to feature as Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna rest for the more important league fixture.

In the midfield, Gilberto Silva and Abou Diaby should be the only survivors from the side that started against Tottenham on Tuesday. The pair will most likely be joined by Tomas Rosicky and Cesc Fabregas who will bring some creative impetus into the side. The battle may be won or lost in the center of the pitch, as an impressive force of Charles N'Zogbia, Damien Duff, James Milner and Nicky Butt is likely to line up against the Gunners.

Up front Nicklas Bendtner may start up front alongside Eduardo, although Emmanuel Adebayor may also feature if he has sorted out his episode with the Danish youngster.

This game is not too important in and of itself, but Wenger would like to continue blooding his youngsters in the cup, and the winners will have a decisive advantage in the Premier League game between the two next Tuesday.

A mixed Arsenal side will face a tough challenge against Newcastle, but the players will want to prove themselves after a huge defeat, and should manage to win even against a full strength Newcastle side. I predict a 2-1 win for the home side.

FA Investigate Adebayor-Bendtner Clash

Arsenal fell apart in yesterday's thrashing by Tottenham. Already down 4-1 and with the game already lost, two Arsenal players were involved in an altercation which saw Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel Adebayor forced apart by Gunners captain William Gallas.

Adebayor allegedly headbutted the young Dane, who proceeded to confront the peacemaker, Gallas. Referee Howard Webb was called in to restore order, and managed to do so without producing a card of any color.

Webb has since revealed that he did not witness the spat in its entirety and the English Football Association will therefore be asking television broadcasters to provide the FA with any relevant footage they might have. If Webb decides that he would have brandished a red card for violence, the FA will retrospectively issue the card and its resulting ban.

The infighting was quite possibly the single worst moment of the 5-1 defeat to our most bitter rivals, and should it result in a retrospective dismissal, it would not be completely unfair. As much as our team would miss Adebayor and Bendtner, their actions were inexcusable and I would be very surprised if either player escaped punishment at the hands of Arsene Wenger.

The fight was a disgrace and an embarrassment to both of the players and to Arsenal. Realizing this, Adebayor has apologized and claimed that the loss will only spur Arsenal on to greater victories.

"We are a strong unit and what happened last night against Spurs will strengthen our desire and determination to compete for other targets," he said.

"Overall I think that we should have been more calm during the game and although I was pleased to get a goal back for the team when I came on, I am sorry for the disagreement with my team-mate Nicklas.

"We are both passionate about this Club and sometimes that can be projected in the wrong way. It was a mistake. We want to focus on the games ahead and rely on our squad’s great togetherness to achieve a fantastic season."

I hope that Bendtner follows a similar approach to the issue and that the players sort out their problems. Arsenal has no room for feuding teammates.