Eddie Howe has just hinted that £13m Newcastle player is going to start against Arsenal
James Rutherford
3 – 4 minutes
Eddie Howe must ensure that Newcastle United nullify Arsenal’s threat from set pieces on Saturday.
The Magpies face Arsenal at St James’ Park, with the Gunners aiming to bounce back after two games without victory. They have lost ground in the Premier League title race, making this a must win game for Arsenal in the eyes of Paul Merson.
Sorry, We Need To Talk About The Ballon d’Or
For Newcastle United, it is a chance to build on the momentum created on Wednesday night. The Magpies played very well against Chelsea, and the performance has given fans optimism ahead of facing Arsenal.
However, Mikel Arteta’s side should pose a bigger threat, as they desperately try to secure all three points.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hugs Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Arsenal FC at St…
Photo by Alex Dodd – CameraSport via Getty Images
Eddie Howe wary of Arsenal’s set piece threat
One of Arsenal’s biggest weapons is set pieces. They have scored a lot of goals from dead ball situations this season, and will no doubt look to add to their tally at Newcastle United’s expense.
But Eddie Howe is well aware of Arsenal’s threat from set pieces, and is keen for his side to keep the Gunners at bay.
“I think set plays are always about your organisation and your structures,” he said during his pre-match press conference.
“And obviously you need players to want to head the ball.
“I’m always reluctant to talk too much about set plays because of the intricacies that go into it. But hopefully we can nail it.”
Howe noted that you need players who want to head the ball if you are going to stop teams like Arsenal scoring from set pieces.
And when you think of Newcastle players heading the ball away, you think of Dan Burn. He is the tallest player at the club, standing at 6ft 7in.
Burn is a massive aerial threat in his own box, and is pivotal when it comes to defending crosses into the penalty area.
With that in mind, it feels inevitable that the £13million man will return to the starting XI against Arsenal.
Burn started on the bench on Wednesday night, as Newcastle beat Chelsea 2-0 in the Carabao Cup. Lloyd Kelly started in his place, and played extremely well. The 26-year-old certainly proved that he could be a starter for Newcastle, while his pace does give him an advantage over Burn.
However, the game against Arsenal feels like a fixture for Burn. If Newcastle are going to stop Arsenal’s set piece threat, they need their tallest and strongest players on the pitch.
That is why Howe’s heading comment suggests that Burn will start ahead of Kelly.
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