Arsenal vs Newcastle: 5 key players in another must-win

4. Granit Xhaka

As always, Granit Xhaka will have a lot to say on this match, and on every other match. Because in case you haven’t heard, the difference between an Arsenal Football Club with Xhaka in top form, slinging from the saddle of midfield, and the Arsenal Football Club with Xhaka struggling, unsupported and abandoned, is massive.

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Newcastle have a beefy midfield. Isaac Hayden, our former academy product, is a strong, athletic midfield presence, and the addition of Nabil Bentaleb adds some spark as well. Establishing a midfield presence (that age-old requirement) to overwhelm the Magpies in the center of the pitch is massive.

As always, that falls on Xhaka. Xhaka the distributor, Xhake the deep-seated control tower. Xhaka does so many things that we’re going to need to have happen.

Especially with the lack of creativity coming from the midfield. Xhaka can augment that a bit if he’s allowed to play the match the way he needs to play it. If he does, we win. If he doesn’t, we struggle. End of story.

On to No. 3.