Premier League this weekend: Arsenal vs Newcastle

All eyes will be on the Emirate Stadium later tonight when Arsenal take on Newcastle take in what will be the match of the weekend in the English Premier League.

Odegaard has been the star of Arsenal’s dazzling performances since the winter break. The 25-year-old has been the creative force for Mikel Arteta’s team, who have been unstoppable lately. They have won five games in a row, scoring 21 goals and letting in only two. The Arsenal captain has set up 20 opportunities for his teammates, with three of them resulting in goals. Most of his key passes have come from open play. He is full of self-belief and Newcastle United will have a tough time stopping him at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Who to watch out for (Arsenal vs Newcastle)

Odegaard (Arsenal)

Odegaard has been more flexible with his role on the pitch since December.
He sometimes joins Rice in deeper positions to get the ball and start the attacks from there.
This adds some variety to his game and makes him harder to predict.
Last season, Zinchenko would often move inside from left-back to form a 3-2-5 formation, with Odegaard playing as an advanced midfielder.
This was effective for the most part, but Odegaard could be easily marked when he was in front of the ball.

By letting him drop back to the midfield occasionally, Arsenal can keep their full-backs wide and stretch the opposition.
This also tempts Odegaard’s markers to follow him, creating more space for his team-mates.
In this example (below), you can see how Odegaard draws Ward-Prowse out of his defensive position by getting the ball from Rice.
White’s position on the right keeps Emerson busy, opening a gap for Odegaard to play a through-ball to Saka, who scores.
Arsenal have faced more defensive-minded opponents this season, so they need to find more creative ways to open up spaces.
They have experimented with Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz swapping roles as false nines to add more unpredictability to their attack.
With Havertz often moving forward from the left side of midfield, it makes sense for Odegaard to drop back occasionally.
This map of passing zones from Sky Sports shows how his position has shifted, with more of his passes coming from his half in the past three months.

Odegaard Passing zone

Odegaard has the smarts to adapt his game depending on the situation.
He is still Arsenal’s best player at putting pressure on the opposition in the final third, and his movement between positions makes him more elusive as a playmaker.
Since 26 November he has created four opportunities per 90 minutes, up from 1.6 before.
He also gets more involved in the game, with an extra 22.6 touches per match, reaching an average of 83.2 per 90. The Norwegian is a key player for Arsenal.

Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle)

Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes is also a creative force in midfield, so his clash with Odegaard will be an exciting one on Saturday.
When Odegaard moves deeper to get the ball and link up with his teammates, he can trouble Howe’s team with his passing ability.
Facing a team that defended well and held them to a 0-0 draw last season, Odegaard’s skill will be vital for Arsenal’s hopes of winning their sixth league game in a row.