04 November 2023 , 04:00
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Arsenal suffered just their second defeat of the season in their last outing, which came in the form of a 3-1 loss at West Ham in the Carabao Cup fourth round.
It was by some distance the Gunners' worst display of the campaign so far and hardly the ideal preparation for Saturday night's face-off with Newcastle at St. James' Park. The Magpies are flying high at the moment, having just battered Manchester United on their own patch on Wednesday and will be out to inflict a similar result on Arsenal.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta will be well aware that if his players produce a similar level of performance to the one seen at the London Stadium in mid-week, they can forget about returning to London with the three points. The Arsenal manager talked up Newcastle beforehand and insisted it remains one of the toughest places to go in the Premier League. With that in mind, here are all the headlines emerging out of the Emirates on Saturday, November 4.
Arteta in agreement with Wenger
Mikel Arteta agrees with Arsene Wenger when it comes to Tottenham's title credentialsArteta has conceded that local rivals Tottenham must be viewed as rivals for the title this term. Spurs are flying high at the top of the table, two points in front of the Gunners.
Pressed for comment on whether Ange Postecoglou's men must be regarded as a threat to the ultimate prize, Arteta replied: "They are right now up there and they’re merited to be where they are so, yes." It was a sentiment similar to the one shared by club legend Arsene Wenger days prior.
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"I like always to say what I feel, really," Wenger said on beIN Sports. "Deeply, I believe will be one of the contenders for the league.
"They bought James Maddison, who is a great player. He is that link from low midfield to high midfield and added some technical creativity to the team. They bought Van de Ven, who I find absolutely exceptional.
"They had weaknesses there and last season [Hugo] Lloris had not the best of seasons as well. And the movement from Son into the middle looks very good."
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Emile Smith Rowe injury latest
Emile Smith Rowe has picked up another injury (Getty Images)Arteta confirmed ahead of the Newcastle clash that Emile Smith Rowe is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering another cruel injury blow.
Nothing has changed.," Arteta told reporters. "As I said - he will be out for weeks - how many will be determined by how he progresses in the first few weeks especially. A big blow because he was gaining some momentum."
It is so harsh on the England international, who only made his first Premier League start for more than a year last Saturday against Sheffield United. Smith Rowe recently opened up on the struggles he faced due to his extended absences, claiming “It was a really tough period — having surgery for the first time and then having another setback once I got back on to the pitch.
"But this is football, you have got to face these challenges, you have ups and downs. I feel like I am a lot stronger and fitter now." He'll need to go into this latest spell on the sidelines with that attitude.
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Saliba "average" claim
William Saliba has been told he is individual qualities are not above average (Getty Images)William Saliba has been told his individual qualities are only above average compared to someone like Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate by Marcel Desailly.
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"Upamecano, and Konate – their association is fabulous," Desailly told Get French Football News. "And more than that – I think that, individually, they maybe have a level above what we saw with [Raphael] Varane and [Samuel] Umtiti.
"But before they can express their individuality at a very high level, their association needs to be good. Then there is the one at Arsenal too [Saliba] – he hasn't yet had the game time to adapt to that necessary association.
"I don't believe his individual qualities to be above average. He's at a very, very high level but not extraordinary. So before absorbing the international level, he needs to acclimatise to those associations."
Find Desailly's comments in full HERE.