Newcastle United just keep on going. Injuries, suspensions, and early-season disgruntlement concerning squad cohesion have all come into play on Tyneside this season, but Eddie Howe's side have hurtled through the gears and now stand a good shot of significant success both domestically and in the Champions League.
Having defied expectations to finish fourth in the Premier League last season, Newcastle have rebounded from a wobble in the 2023/24 term's early phase, losing three straight, to climb into European contention, though having dropped points across two of their past three matches there will be an increased weight on the forthcoming fixture against Arsenal.
Indeed, Mikel Arteta's title-chasing side travel to St. James' Park this evening to continue their fight for a first Premier League trophy in two decades, but will be met by one of Europe's most unified forces.
Newcastle's ascendancy over the past few years has been a product of Howe's ability to instill his system into the squad, and the fact that it has suffused every corner means that injuries, of which there are many, do not necessarily prove to be detrimental.
Newcastle team news
Matt Targett is the latest player to pick up an injury after tweaking his hamstring in the opening phase at the Theatre of Dreams, though United are emboldened by the goalscoring return of Joe Willock in midweek.
Club record talisman Alexander Isak is not expected to be back until after the international break later this month, though the Toon boast a worthy replacement in the prolific Callum Wilson.
Elsewhere, both members of Howe's starring defensive axis – Sven Botman and Fabian Schar – are doubts, while Harvey Barnes, Jacob Murphy, and Elliot Anderson remain on the sidelines.
Tino Livramento's season by numbers
Howe will have to continue to contend with a mountain of injury issues against the Gunners, though Newcastle evidenced their strength in depth when dispatching dreary Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday evening.
When the line-ups were announced on Wednesday, few thought that this makeshift Magpies side would stand a chance against a purportedly superior Red Devils side.
Doubters were emphatically corrected, and the 3-0 scoreline showcased this remarkable squad's credentials, with none more impressive than summer signing Tino Livramento.
The 6 foot Livramento joined from Southampton for an initial fee of £32m, having spent the majority of the 2022/23 campaign injured, with Saints plummeting into the Championship.
Despite his scant match action over the past year, the dynamo has taken to life on Tyneside with aplomb, earning four substitute appearances in the English top-flight so far but playing the full 90 across both Carabao Cup matches thus far, against the two Manchester sides, and excelling on each occasion.
Against Manchester City in the third round, Livramento made eight tackles – including a "match-winning" late lunge on Matheus Nunes, as said by reporter Craig Hope – and won 11 of his 18 contested duels, as per Sofascore, superlative against one of football's most frightening attacking threats.
Howe would have hoped for him to emulate his previous showing this week against Erik ten Hag's Old Trafford side, but he did take his opportunity, earning a stunning assist after an unstoppable cross-pitch dribble and producing an all-encompassing display that Phillip Lahm would have waxed approval over.
Complementing that assist with five tackles, two clearances, success with both of his dribble attempts, also coming out on top in nine of his 12 duels (a 75% success rate), Livramento has announced himself as one of the Premier League's most exciting young talents.
Opponent
Result
Competition
vs Aston Villa (H)
5-1
Premier League
vs Manchester City (H)
1-0
Carabao Cup
vs Sheffield United (A)
8-0
Premier League
vs Paris Saint-Germain (H)
4-0
Champions League
vs Manchester United (A)
3-0
Carabao Cup
*Results provided by Sky Sports
Newcastle have collected quite the list of victories already this season, and there will now be confidence that Arsenal could be the latest to fall on Tyneside, especially with Livramento unleashed from the outset.
Why Tino Livramento should start vs Arsenal
The mere fact that the youngster has provided the perfect performance against the Manchester giants suggests that he would be a custom-made option against Arsenal tonight, who boast an almighty, multi-functional strike force.
Hailed as "unbelievable” by analyst EBL, Livramento's pace and athleticism are exactly what is needed to stifle the threat of players such as Bukayo Saka, who has been integral to Arsenal's rise under Arteta's wing and has undoubtedly cemented himself as one of Europe's most fearsome forwards.
Should Livramento earn a starting spot, then Dan Burn should be moved to the bench; Burn has been a superb member of Howe's Newcastle team over the past few years, but he is not without his frailties and Saka might relish the opportunity to drag him around the byline, as well as threatening consistently down the channel.
The Emirates side's star man has been in stunning form so far this season and has posted five goals and six assists from 14 appearances, praised as "elite" by his international manager, Gareth Southgate.
To illustrate his all-action attacking threat, the £195k-per-week machine ranks among the top 21% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 14% for assists, the top 18% for shot-creating actions, the top 8% for progressive carries, the top 3% for touches in the attacking box and the top 9% for tackles per 90.
Quite the list of metrics, and a mere illumination of exactly what makes the 22-year-old such a staggering talent; robust and tenacious, he will drive into the danger area and wreak havoc, bursting into the box and deciding which tool he wishes to wield.
Burn is no joke, of course, but he might not be well suited to the task, especially when Livramento has demonstrated his ability against both Manchester sides this season.
It speaks volumes of his potential, and while it may be strange to eject Kieran Trippier on the defensive right flank, the 32-year-old has been deployed at left-back for England of late and could assume the role, with Livramento unleashed down the alternate channel.
The one-time Chelsea Academy Player of the Season is capable across both sides of the backline too, but the balance may be preserved by switching Trippier, allowing the less experienced member to perform in his favoured position.
This could either allow the England international to lock up his teammate, Saka, or Livramento could line up on the left and use his aforementioned defensive attributes to keep the exciting attacker quiet.
The evidence suggests that Arsenal can be defeated, and while it will be a tall order against Arteta's hungry side, Howe will know that his match plan could have the Magpies flying high come the final whistle.
