Eddie Howe will be hoping to be in the Newcastle United dugout for the first time when his side travel to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal on Saturday.
After missing his first game in charge due to testing positive for Covid-19, the former Bournemouth manager will hope that he is given the all-clear ahead of the trip to the Emirates Stadium.
Following the 3-3 draw at St James’ Park against Brentford and the rest of the weekend’s Premier League results, the Magpies are five points off safety going into Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off.
The Gunners’ 10-match unbeaten run came to a shattering end against Liverpool on Saturday, but what is Howe’s record like against Arsenal?
Grim reading for Eddie Howe
In their first season in the top-flight, Howe’s men lost 2-0 in both league fixtures to Arsene Wenger’s side, with Mesut Ozil scoring in both games.
After a 3-1 loss at the Emirates in November 2016, Howe picked up his first point against Arsenal, in a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Vitality Stadium.
Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser both scored to help Bournemouth take a dream 3-0 lead after the hour mark, but Wenger’s side hit back and completed the comeback in injury time thanks to Olivier Giroud.
Following a 3-0 loss away to Arsenal in September 2017, four months later, Howe got his only win over the Gunners so far, with Wilson (one goal and an assist) and Fraser (one assist) once again playing a key part in the 2-1 victory.
Since that victory which came against Wenger, Howe has lost four of his last five matches against Arsenal, which included a 5-1 hammering at the Emirates.
But in the last league clash between Howe and Arsenal which came on Boxing Day in 2019 with Mikel Arteta in charge, Bournemouth got a point in a 1-1 draw.
In five games at the Emirates, Howe is yet to come away with a result.
During his time managing in the Premier League, the only teams that Howe has a worst points per game ratio against than Arsenal (0.45) is Liverpool (0.31) and Manchester City (0.00), according to Transfermarkt.
Let’s hope Eddie can come away from the Emirates with a result ahead of back-to-back crucial home games against Norwich and Burnley.
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