3 talking points ahead of Arsenal vs Newcastle

Arsenal welcome Newcastle to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon for their final home game of the 2024/25 season.

The Gunners fought back from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw away to Premier League champions Liverpool in their last outing. Gabriel Martinelli pulled one back minutes after the break before Mikel Merino converted from close range to level it up. The Spaniard's heroics were undone however when he was sent off for a second yellow card offence, but his side managed to see out the closing stages to take a point away from Merseyside.

As Arsenal look to secure their spot in next season's Champions League, there are three key talking points ahead of their matchup with fellow European battlers Newcastle.

1. The fight for second

Arsenal head into the Premier League's penultimate weekend in second place, two points ahead of third-placed Newcastle. With a win, they can confirm a higher finish than the Magpies, but a draw or loss would leave the door wide open for them to be overtaken.

Both sides will be coming into this game in search of a win as they look to go a step closer to securing a spot in the Champions League while also finishing the league in second. Since the Gunners have dropped off on the domestic front, there has been a worry they may end up conceding second place to another team, but a win against Newcastle can ensure that does not happen.

If the Gunners do win on Sunday, they will have have secured second place. Manchester City would be the only team left who can overtake them, but with two games left to play and an inferior goal difference, that looks unlikely. They would also require Arsenal to lose on the final day against Southampton. A win against Newcastle is crucial for Mikel Arteta's side as it should avoid the embarrasment of losing out on second place after having such a stronghold throughout the season.

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