According to Graeme Souness, St James’ Park is currently one of the toughest places to visit and secure a victory, with only the Etihad Stadium being more challenging.
In the midst of Arsenal’s battle to keep their hopes alive in the Premier League title race, football pundit Graeme Souness has issued a cautionary statement, asserting that only the Etihad Stadium poses a greater challenge than St James’ Park at this moment. With the Gunners scheduled to visit Newcastle on Sunday, Souness believes that Mikel Arteta’s side could face an uphill task.
After enjoying a spell at the top of the league standings for a considerable period, Arsenal now find themselves playing catch-up to frontrunners Manchester City. Realistically, the London club must secure victories in all their remaining fixtures and pray for unexpected slip-ups from Pep Guardiola’s men. Nevertheless, Souness is skeptical about their chances this Sunday.
The former Liverpool legend suggests that St James’ Park has transformed into a fortress under Newcastle’s new era, evoking memories of the intimidating atmosphere at Anfield during Liverpool’s peak.
In his Daily Mail column, Souness states, “Other than Manchester City, the one place you don’t want to go needing a result right now is Newcastle.”
Souness goes on to write, “Arsenal will find that out on Sunday, and this represents a genuine test of their ability to stay in the title race. In their recent away game against City, they were thoroughly outplayed and fortunate not to concede seven goals. While they displayed improvement in their midweek home clash against Chelsea, their opponents were lackluster. Newcastle, on the other hand, will be an entirely different proposition.”
Drawing from his personal experience managing at St James’ Park, Souness emphasizes the unique nature of the stadium. He remarks, “When things clicked for us, St James’ Park truly became a force to be reckoned with. For me, it stands alongside Anfield in terms of its electrifying atmosphere.”
Newcastle encountered a surprising 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa last month, but since then, they have embarked on a remarkable winning streak, netting an impressive 13 goals in three consecutive victories. Their home record this season is commendable, having suffered only one defeat. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that Arsenal boast the best away record in the league throughout the current campaign.
As the title race intensifies, Arsenal must brace themselves for a formidable challenge when they face Newcastle this Sunday. With St James’ Park buzzing with fervent support, the Gunners will need to showcase their mettle and determination if they aspire to keep their title ambitions alive.