Steve Bruce accused his players of "throwing a hand grenade in" at Bramall Lane after The Magpies lost to a Sheffield United side that hadn't won in The Premier League all season and Newcastle must respond in the right fashion at The Emirates Stadium.
Newcastle travel to Arsenal for the second time in ten days needing a win to change the narrative of a season that has stalled since a Covid-19 outbreak in early December and give the club & its fans a much-needed lift as The Magpies try to kickstart 2021.
Steve Bruce's men lost 2-0 in Extra Time at The Emirates in The FA Cup last Saturday night but can take heart from a spirited performance that might have taken them through to the 4th Round but for more clinical finishing and the Head Coach said:
"We always wanted to win the FA Cup tie, and we did enough to win it with two big chances against them.
"You always know what to expect at Arsenal.
"You always know it will be difficult but it's the way we go and approach it and do it in the right manner like the cup tie.
"And let's see if we can get a good result."
A 1-0 defeat to Sheffield United on Tuesday night, The Blades' first Premier League win of the season, means the knives are well and truly out for Bruce from both fans and pundits and he must arrest the decline soon or his job could be in serious jeopardy.
Ryan Fraser's first half red card for two yellow cards in quick succession was compounded by a penalty award that Danny Mills said on SKY's RefWatch should not have been given due to Billy Sharp fouling Fede Fernandez and then having scored the spot-kick, the forward almost added injury to insult with a vicious tackle on Fabian Schar for which he should have been sent off and Bruce was furious with the decisions:
Yet Newcastle set up wrong against the Premier League's basement side in a 5-4-1 defensive formation with just one striker & 2 "False 10s" on the pitch and and its a mystery why The Magpies didn't go for The Blades' jugular like they did in the 3-0 win at St. James' Park following the resumption of football in Project Restart in June.
One factor was the absence of Allan Saint-Maximum, Newcastle's talisman & creative inspiration who notched home & away against Sheffield United in 2019/20 & there was a ray of hope for fans who haven't seen Newcastle win since December 12th with news that the Frenchman is back in training although not ready yet for first team football:
Another chink of hope in Newcastle's first team picture is the emergence of youngster Elliot Anderson, the 18 year-old grandson of Newcastle's Fairs Cup favourite Geoff Allen, who made his first team debut against Arsenal in that FA Cup tie and is an extremely promising youth product of the Newcastle academy living every Geordie lad's dream:
"My dream has been the same as every kid's which is to play for Newcastle and hopefully I can be successful.
"It's a challenge, obviously, going in every day and playing with really good players. You've got to be very fast in your thinking because the game is a lot faster, but you've just got to try and match it."
Bruce may be tempted to hand him his first Premier League start on Monday night and place his faith in youth alongside Matty Longstaff, who was a surprise omission from the team-sheet at Bramall Lane considering brother Sean had played 120 minutes just 72 hours earlier at The Emirates and the two Geordie youngsters would certainly add energy to a Newcastle side that are still struggling with Covid-related fatigue issues.
It was an Arsenal youth product, Emile Smith-Rowe, who came on and won the match for The Gunners in The Cup and the number 10 has been instrumental in changing the fortunes of the North London side who had endured a run of 4 defeats in 5 before Mikel Arteta turned to him, something not lost on German eGunner no. 10 Mesut Ozil,
who was on his way to sign for Fenerbahce in the January transfer window last night.
Arsenal drew 0-0 with Crystal Palace in a lacklustre game on Thursday night in which The Gunners didn't hit the heights of their previous four wins in a row and Newcastle must try and attack a side who have struggled at The Emirates this season and lost to Aston Villa, Burnley and Wolves before stopping the rot.
Midfielder Thomas Partey, who signed from Atletico Madrid for £45M on transfer deadline day back in October, is expected to start his first Premier League game since an injury against Spurs forced him off in December and is likely to return while star defensive man Kieren Tierney is having a late fitness test and is expected to play.
"It's not about individuals. It's about what we do as a collective and we have to do more in this.
'And, then, for sure, when you look at these games and how they are won, a lot of times it is because of individuals as opposed to collective actions.
'It is a moment of spark that has to open up these sorts of games - and then the game gets much easier and you get it where you want."
Newcastle fans can expect a team & tactical shake up after Bruce told written press:
"The Gloves are off, the players have been too comfortable and I'm going to do it my way from now on"
in an extraordinary, expletive-ridden rant designed to light a fire under his squad to find that first win since beating West Brom in December, a risky strategy that could go either way but at last Bruce is rolling the dice after accusations of being too negative with a squad comprising the attacking talent of Callum Wilson , Miguel Almiron, Joelinton, Ryan Fraser, Allan Saint-Maximum and co. although they haven't always been fit.
In a Snakes and Ladders-esque Premier League season, a few wins can catapult you up the table as Arsenal have found in the last month while Newcastle have experienced the opposite yet a good result and the pendulum of momentum can swing the other way and Newcastle are due not just a good performance but all 3 Premier League points.
Prediction - Newcastle 2 Arsenal 1
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