Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has described his team as "desperate" to secure their first victory against a top-four rival this season. The Magpies face Arsenal at St James' Park on Sunday at 4:30pm, looking to exploit the Gunners' recent struggles at the venue.
Howe addressed Arsenal's massive £1 billion spending under Mikel Arteta, calling the figures "crazy" but praising the Spanish manager's progress. He said: "Seems crazy, doesn't it? The transfer fees keep going up and up. Mikel's done a great job."
Backing Arteta's Arsenal project
The Newcastle boss believes Arsenal will challenge for the Premier League title this season despite their lack of silverware. Howe said: "They continue to improve. So I wouldn't look at the money spent. That's irrelevant really. It's about the strength of the squad and how they work and how they play. They'll be very close this year."
Arsenal finished second last season and have made significant signings to challenge Liverpool again this campaign. The Gunners remain in pursuit of their first Premier League title since 2004.
Historical dominance over Gunners
Newcastle enjoyed remarkable success against Arsenal last season, beating them three times including a crucial two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final victory. Those wins helped the Magpies claim their first trophy since 1969.
Arsenal have struggled particularly at St James' Park, failing to score in their last three visits to the venue. However, their most recent meeting in May ended in disappointment for Newcastle when they lost 1-0 to Declan Rice's wonder strike while fighting for second place.
Team news boosts both sides
Anthony Gordon returns for Newcastle after completing his three-game domestic suspension, providing Howe with additional attacking options. The England winger's availability comes at a crucial time as Newcastle seek consistency in the Premier League.
Howe reflected on Newcastle's previous performance against Arsenal: "I actually thought we played quite well last time against Arsenal and we created a number of early chances in the game, we didn't take them."
Desperate for Premier League consistency
Newcastle have struggled for consistency in the Premier League this season, making Sunday's clash crucial for their confidence. Howe said: "We respect our opponents, but we go into every game desperate to win. I have seen that attitude from players this season."
The manager acknowledged Newcastle need to improve their league form while emphasising the competitive nature of matches against Arsenal. He added: "It has always been a competitive game against Arsenal, and there has been an edge to those games as both teams want to win."
Challenging week ahead
Sunday's match kicks off a demanding period for Newcastle with three games in one week. The team travels to Brussels on Tuesday to face Union Saint-Gilloise before hosting Nottingham Forest.
Howe stressed the importance of player recovery and tactical preparation across the busy schedule. He said: "It's about making sure the players recover in between games. We get the tactical information in, in a variety of ways, try to be creative with that so it's not boring for the players."
Sources used: "Chronicle Live", "The Standard" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
