Arsenal defender William Saliba will have the opportunity to equal a club record held by Sol Campbell and Lauren in Sunday’s Premier League clash with Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners have struggled to produce their best form in recent weeks, having won just one of their previous six Premier League matches (D4, L1).
Mikel Arteta’s side did at least avoid a defeat in last Sunday’s clash with Champions Liverpool, fighting back from two goals down to rescue a 2-2 draw thanks to efforts from Gabriel Martinelli and Mikel Merino.
As a result of their underwhelming form, the second-placed side are yet to officially qualify for next season’s Champions League, although they only require one point from their final two games to secure a top-five finish.
While they are in a strong position to finish in the top five, Arsenal still have work to do if they are to secure a runners-up spot for the third season in a row, given the fact that just three points cover five teams from second down to sixth place.
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Saliba looking to join elite club
Sunday could be a momentous day for Arsenal’s Saliba, who is just one game away from making his 100th Premier League appearance.
Having won 67 of his 99 top-flight matches, Saliba could equal Sol Campbell and Lauren’s Arsenal record of claiming 68 wins in their first 100 league appearances for the North London side.
The 24-year-old has been a regular feature in Arteta’s lineups this season, having started all 34 league games he has been available.
The Frenchman is expected to start in central defence alongside Jakub Kiwior on Sunday, with the pair hoping to stop a Newcastle side that are the league’s second-highest scorers with 68 goals in 36 matches.
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Arsenal’s recent struggles against Newcastle
Arsenal’s hopes of picking up all three points on Sunday may be tempered by the fact that they have already lost three games against Newcastle this season.
The Gunners lost 1-0 in November’s reverse league fixture, before they fell to 2-0 defeats in both legs of the EFL Cup semi-finals.
As a result, Arsenal are now at risk of losing four games to the same team in a single campaign for the first time in their history.
The hosts do at least boast a strong home record against Newcastle, having won 17, drawn two and lost just one of their previous 20 Premier League home encounters.
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