Expect Toon to try to get under Arsenal’s skin

NEWCASTLE will have noted with great interest how Porto disrupted Arsenal’s rhythm.

The ball was only in play for 50 minutes during that 1-0 defeat — the smallest time recorded in the Champions League’s knockout stages this season by some distance when Arsenal are used to 59 minutes in their matches.

There were 36 fouls — the most in any Champions League match this season when Arsenal usually average 21 in their games. Porto created stoppages. Sometimes with clever fouls. Other times dropping to the deck as if electrocuted. This is not sour grapes from a former Arsenal defender. This is simply how the game was won and lost as Porto boss Sergio Conceicao was unapologetic when asked about this approach, saying: ‘They wanted to play. We wanted to win.’

Arsenal were subjected to a demonstration of football’s dark arts. Mikel Arteta’s youngsters cannot hide from the fact they put in a passive performance but Porto had them in a headlock.

Lessons will need to be learned ahead of Newcastle’s visit to the Emirates tonight. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli could not get into the game as Porto forced Arsenal to play through the middle. The ball needed to make its way wide much faster. Saka and Martinelli are Arsenal’s most important attackers. Arteta needs them terrorising opponents but they also need support, such as through decoy runs on the outside.

Ben White was moving into midfield to become the extra man but I’d have liked to see him overlapping Saka on the right as a distraction to the full back. The more Saka and Martinelli see the ball, the more Martin Odegaard comes alive in his creativity.

Newcastle will have been buoyed by seeing all that unfold. The last time Eddie Howe’s team played at the Emirates — a 0-0 draw in January 2023 — it led to accusations of time-wasting. ‘We’re not here to be popular,’ Howe said back then and it is interesting how he spent time studying Diego Simeone during 15 months away from football.

Simeone is the master of disrupting matches and I’d be surprised if Newcastle do not try to get under Arsenal’s skin, though it is harder now to indulge in dark arts with the PGMOL cracking down on such behaviour.

This should be a thriller. Arsenal have been magnificent in their last five fixtures in the top flight, scoring 21 goals, and Newcastle’s away form is improving. I expect they will try to target Arsenal on the break as they possess formidable pace.

Games between these sides have not lacked controversy, like the VAR fallout at St James’ Park this season. Whatever happens, both teams need to demonstrate discipline to avoid adding to the growing list of controversies in what could be a tetchy affair.