Arsenal will want to remain top of the perch in the English Premier League as they target a victory over Newcastle United at the Emirates on Saturday.
The Gunners are joint top with Leicester City with 39 points at the halfway stage, but hold the No.1 position owing to a better goal difference. Arsenal had mixed results in their last couple of matches, going down spectacularly to Southampton, before bouncing back immediately with a 2-0 win over Bournemouth last Monday.
Consistency will be the key for Arsenal if they are to stay atop the standings come May, and home matches, in particular, will be important in doing just that.
"Yes, for 2016 [the target] is now to be the best team," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told the club's official website. "One thing that is very positive is that if we are the best team from January to May, we will be very happy.
"That's our target, and knowing that the Premier League is an extremely competitive league, and looking at the results around you, of course you know that you need to put in the effort to be competitive in every game."
Mesut Ozil is the man of the moment for Arsenal, with the left-footed playmaker in stunning form, laying on assists and chipping in with a goal or two every now and then as well. Ozil will look to have another impressive day out on Saturday, but the other creative players will also need to step up to break down what will be a determined Newcastle defence.
While Arsenal hold ambitions of lifting the title come May, Newcastle are targeting staying in the Premier League come next season. The Magpies, who have beaten Tottenham and Liverpool this season, are currently in the bottom three, two points adrift of Swansea City, who are 17th, and a win over Arsenal could act as a huge boost in their battle against relegation.
"Like all the teams who are in an uncomfortable situation psychologically where the confidence is low, they are better away from home," Wenger said of Newcastle. "They have no responsibility to build the game, which demands a lot of confidence. They have the qualities to be very strong in transition. That explains why they have made some surprising results away from home."
Where to Watch Live
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Arsenal vs Newcastle is set to begin at 8.30 pm IST (3 pm GMT, 10 am ET). Star Sports 4 and Star Sports HD4 will broadcast the match live in India, while the online live streaming options are on Hotstar and Starsports.com.
The English Premier League match will not be shown live in the UK. PPTV Sports will broadcast the match live in China, while LeTV is the place to be to watch Arsenal play Newcastle live in Jong Kong. Viewers in Singapore can watch the match live on 104 mio, with live coverage of Arsenal's game in Thailand on CTH.
Watch the EPL game live in the US on NBC Sports Network, with the live stream option on NBC Sports Live Extra. Audience in Canada can watch the action live on Sportsnet, while Arsenal vs Newcastle United can be live streamed on Watch Sportsnet.
Australia viewers can watch the EPL game live on Fox Sports 1, while the online live streaming options are on Fox Sports On Demand and Foxtel Play.
