The biggest game of Tuesday in the Premier League will see table toppers Arsenal welcome top four chasing Newcastle to the Emirates.
The Gunners enjoyed a late festive season gift as Manchester City dropped points at home against Everton which left them seven points clear at the top of the table.
No team entering a new year with a 7+ point lead has ever failed to win the Premier League, so it’s now up to Arsenal to play on to the title.
Newcastle will be a serious test of their mental strength. The Magpies are a side that have already taken points from three of last season’s four highest placed clubs (W2, D1, L1).
That good stat goes against their bad historical form on this game week. Newcastle have failed to win their first game of a new calendar year on nine occasions in the last decade.
Eddie Howe also has another miserable stat to turn on its head – his team have not scored in seven tries in this fixture. In all, it is 13-0 in league action in recent years.
Howe will hope for more luck in front of goal after his side battled to a draw against Leeds. It was not for the want of trying for Howe’s men, who could not find the breakthrough despite enjoying 59% possession and 16 shots on goal.
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