Arsenal Ready for St James’ Test as Arteta Rallies Players for Newcastle Battle

By Bashir Adigun
Contributor

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has set the tone for Sunday’s crunch Premier League clash with Newcastle United, warning his players they must be “much more efficient” if they are to overcome Eddie Howe’s men at St James’ Park.
Speaking at the Sobha Realty Training Centre on Friday, the Spaniard was in reflective but determined mood, weaving tributes, tactical insights, and praise for his squad into a wide-ranging media briefing.
The press conference began on a somber note, as Arteta addressed the sudden passing of Billy Vigar, a young Arsenal striker.
“Some shocking news, when I got home yesterday, straight away I was thinking about the family and how difficult it is to go through something like this in a very unexpected way,” Arteta said. “Hopefully the footballing authorities will dig in and understand what happened, why it happened and try to avoid these kinds of things. Really sad news and our full support with the family and our thoughts with all the loved ones.”
On team news, Arteta confirmed that captain Martin Ødegaard is close to a return:
“Martin will be training with us the next two days so hopefully he’ll be available for the game.”
Bukayo Saka, meanwhile, looks fit to continue his remarkable run: “Yeah, nothing to report there. He’s played the games that we anticipated, he did well, he feels good and he will be training the next few days.”
The winger’s next contribution could also be a milestone. “100, 101 and 102, hopefully on Sunday! That’s in less than 200 games as well, which is a really impressive record,” Arteta said with a smile, acknowledging Saka’s impending 100th Premier League goal involvement.
Arteta reserved his longest answers for William Saliba, whose consistency has drawn admirers across Europe. The Arsenal manager admitted the Frenchman had “probably exceeded all expectations.”
“It’s very impressive what he’s done at his age,” he said. “His consistency, the way he’s matured as a person, and his role in the team has grown year after year. He’s built a partnership with Gabi (Gabriel Magalhães) and the keeper, and we’ve had the best defensive record in the last three years. He’s been pivotal to that.”
With Real Madrid reportedly circling, Arteta downplayed fears of losing his defensive lynchpin: “There are not that many clubs that can come and get William out of Arsenal. He was transparent and honest from the beginning—he said he wanted to stay here, to play here for us.”
The Arsenal boss knows his side faces a stern test against Newcastle, who have won the last three meetings on Tyneside without conceding.
“You have to dominate when you play against them,” Arteta stressed. “We have to be ready because they continue so rapidly, so quickly—it’s a really intense match. We know the test, we know that we are going to have to be much more efficient than we have been lately when we played up there to win the game.”
Part of that test comes from the famous Toon Army. Arteta acknowledged:
“I think it’s one of the best football atmospheres in the country. As a player, as a fan, as a coach, you want to live in this atmosphere. They play every single ball with you—it’s electric. It’s one team, one city, I think that makes it different. It’s such a challenge and opportunity, so it’s a great game to play.”
While goals have been scarce for Newcastle following Alexander Isak’s departure, Arteta remains cautious: “He wasn’t playing against Barcelona and what it could have been in the first 30 or 40 minutes could be very different to the result.”
For Arsenal, the focus is on maintaining their defensive solidity—just two goals conceded in seven league games—and improving efficiency up front.
“The first five minutes are the most important, and then the next five minutes until the referee blows the whistle,” Arteta said wryly. “At the end, you need to be dominant for long periods of time to win there and that’s what we will try to do on Sunday.”