Arsenal head into Saturday's Premier League clash with Newcastle United needing to return to winning ways after recording draws on the road against Southampton and West Ham United.
The Magpies make the trip to the Emirates Stadium having suffered seven defeats in eight matches, leaving Rafael Benitez's men just one point above the relegation zone.
Arsenal
© SilverHub
With Arsenal having collected 21 points from eight home games this season, you would expect Arsene Wenger's side to be comfortably inside the top four in the table, but their away form is threatening to condemn the club to another year of Europa League football.
It is still relatively early days but with just two wins coming from nine away fixtures, the Gunners are under pressure to maintain their return at the Emirates or face the likelihood of at least another six fixtures on a Thursday night from next September.
Wenger will not be overly concerned about Arsenal's play in the final third because 66 chances have been created in their last three games, but with only goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Olivier Giroud to show for their creativity, the Frenchman must demand a ruthless performance this weekend.
The boss of the North London outfit must also consider playing the front pair in the same side, instead of one of them having to make do with a place on the bench, and Wenger may not get a better chance to be so adventurous than against a flagging Newcastle side.
Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez are only contributing in fits and starts, and it leaves Wenger having to place further reliance on Jack Wilshere, who was one of the team's best players in the goalless draw with West Ham despite only making his first league start of the season.
Wenger is unlikely to compromise balance in order to go gung-ho, but the club's supporters are demanding goals and Wenger finds himself in a position where that must be delivered with Arsenal now sitting five points off third spot and below Burnley in seventh position.
Recent form: WWWLDD
Recent form (all competitions): WWLWDD
Newcastle United
© SilverHub
Newcastle supporters find themselves in a position where they are becoming increasingly excited about their impending takeover but despite the magnitude of the developments off the pitch, improving matters on the pitch is now the priority.
Two months ago, the Magpies were sitting pretty in the top half of the standings, but a run of one point from eight matches has left the club in a relegation fight ahead of a daunting trip to Arsenal.
In their defence, Newcastle were unfortunate to lose against Everton on Wednesday night with the woodwork taking a battering, but the fact remains that they are not scoring enough goals in the final third and have only kept one clean sheet in 13 attempts.
Despite the club's stature, they face a battle to remain at the top tier of English football once again and Benitez finds himself in a position where he may have to consider a starting role for Aleksandar Mitrovic.
The Serbian - who has been linked with a January switch to West Ham - has spent much of the season on the bench and although his goal return is not spectacular, Newcastle require something different in the final third due to Joselu and Dwight Gayle's inconsistency.
There is little else that Benitez can do with the Spaniard having his best players available to him, but an alternative needs to be found over the Christmas period with West Ham and Manchester City to follow the trip to North London.
Recent form: LLDLLL
Team News
© Offside
Wenger is likely to keep Sanchez in his starting lineup, despite substituting the Chilean in midweek after he failed to score for the third successive game.
Ramsey is unlikely to feature as he continues to nurse a hamstring injury, but Wenger is expected to hand a recall to Sead Kolasinac at left-back.
Lacazette and Danny Welbeck are both in contention to start, with Giroud in line to return to the substitutes' bench.
Benitez will be without Jonjo Shelvey for the game in the capital after the midfielder was sent off for two yellow cards against Everton.
Isaac Hayden could come back into the starting lineup against his former club, while Joselu may replace Gayle in attack.
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Cech; Bellerin, Koscielny, Monreal, Kolasinac; Xhaka, Wilshere; Sanchez, Ozil, Welbeck; Lacazette
Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Darlow; Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune, Manquillo; Hayden, Merino, Ritchie, Perez, Murphy; Joselu
Head To Head
Saturday's encounter will represent the 179th time in which these two teams have met in a competitive fixture, with Arsenal registering 74 victories in comparison to 66 wins for Newcastle.
However, while the clubs are well matched from a historical perspective, that has not been the case since 2006 with Newcastle winning just once in 21 attempts.
Arsenal have prevailed in the last nine contests, with the most recent triumph coming in January 2016 when Laurent Koscielny got on the scoresheet in a 1-0 win at the Emirates.
We say: Arsenal 3-0 Newcastle United
Arsenal have not won in three top-flight matches but we expect that to change this weekend. Only Man City possess a better record at home and with Newcastle low in confidence, we can see nothing but a comfortable victory for the Gunners.
Darren Plant
