EA Sports Preview – Newcastle v Arsenal

Here are 10 things you should know about Newcastle and Arsenal before they lock horns at St. James’ Park tomorrow lunchtime:

1. In form Newcastle host Arsenal on a run of seven wins from their last nine games after emphatically beating Stoke 5-1 on Boxing Day. Loic Remy scored twice before Yohan Cabaye, Yoan Gouffran, and Papiss Cisse added to the scoreline.

2. Remy’s goals took him to 10 for the season, ranked third in the Premier League’s goal-scorers. Remy has hit double figures with a ruthlessly efficient 33 shots at goal, averaging 3.3 shots per goal, a better strike rate than league top scorer Luis Suarez, who averages 3.83 shots per goal. Remy is 19/10 to score any time with 888sport.com.

3. Hatem Ben Arfa put on another eye-catching display, completing ten dribbles, more than twice as many as any other players in the last round of games.

4. Cabaye seems to be returning to his finest form for Newcastle United, and completed 67 passes in the opponent’s half against Stoke, the most of any player in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index last weekend.

5. Cabaye has had more shots at goal than any other midfielder in the Premier League with 36, although with just 41.7% on target he may need to sharpen up his accuracy to improve his goal tally of five.

6. Gouffran has been troubling both goalkeepers and opposition defenders, pouncing on any loose passes to make more interceptions than any other striker in the Premier League with 24.

7. Arsenal came from behind to win 3-1 against West Ham thanks to a brace from Theo Walcott and a goal from Lukas Podolski.

8. Walcott has been in fine shooting form this season, his on target accuracy rating of 68.4% one of the best in the Premier League. He’s 7/4 to score any time against Newcastle with 888sport.com.

9. Podolski has played just 107 minutes for Arsenal this season due to injury but has been in lethal form when he has played, hitting 3 goals at an average of one every 35.67 minutes, the fastest return in the Premier League.

10. Mesut Ozil may have seen his performances under the microscope recently, but he remains second in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for passes completed in the opposition half with 678, above team-mate Aaron Ramsey who has completed 669.