TOON TO CALL TIME ON GUNS
Wilson can put end to Arteta’s title bid
NEWCASTLE can end Arsenal’s interest in the Premier League title race tomorrow by taking one more step towards the Champions League.
With the Gunners still not giving up on overcoming leaders Manchester City and Toon determined to clinch a top-four spot, it has the makings of a cracking game at St James’ Park.
But Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have faltered recently on the run-in just as Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has got his side motoring.
William Hill offer odds of 3-2 that the home side earn a victory that will leave them needing only four points from four games to achieve their Euro ambition – and that’s the bet I’d take.
Arsenal are 7-4 with Coral for the win, with the draw around 11-4.
But Newcastle have won eight of their last nine league games and have lost only once at home all season, so I just can’t see them losing in front of a partisan crowd.
Arsenal still have the best away record in the top flight over the course of the season but their last three trips resulted in draws at Liverpool and West Ham, followed by a heavy defeat at Manchester City in which they were disappointing.
The Gunners have kept nine clean sheets on their travels this term – by far the best in the division – but those last three games saw them concede eight times.
So with Toon striker Callum Wilson hitting top form, Howe will be quietly confident of a victory.
Wilson has rattled in eight goals in his last seven league matches, including three doubles. And in three of those games he came off the bench and then found the net, so it could be worth backing him to score the last goal at odds of 7-2.
The England international is also evens to score at any time but it may also be worth looking at Sky Bet’s enhanced 5-2 that Wilson simply gets two shots on target.
I think he could make the difference in a 2-1 victory for Toon, which is a massive 10-1 with bet365.
Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard has also hit form recently with four goals in his last four games, all of them coming in the first half – including a double in midweek against Chelsea.
Sky Bet offer an enhanced 5-1 that he hits the net again here but I’m not convinced he can keep that run going.
I’d prefer to look at striker Gabriel Jesus, who was also on target in midweek and is getting back to top form after more than three months out injured.
The Brazilian is a generous 9-4 to score at any time, or 15-2 to get the first goal.
This could be a fairly tight affair, so I’d back the 5-1 at Sky Bet that it’s a draw at half-time and Newcastle lead at full-time.
In Scotland, it’s the first weekend after the Premiership split into two halves and there are two big games tomorrow.
Celtic can clinch the title at Hearts and will want to do it in style, while Old Firm rivals Rangers will be out for revenge when Aberdeen visit Ibrox, having lost at Pittodrie a fortnight ago.
Giving up a goal on the handicap, Celtic are 5-6 for the win and Rangers 4-5, so back the double for odds of 23-10.