Arsenal prepares changes against Newcastle: how Arteta plans to break the curse.

According to The Sun: ARSENAL hopes that summer newcomers Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres will help the team overcome the 'curse' of Newcastle.

The Gunners head to Newcastle, aiming to return to the winning ways in the Premier League at St. James' Park on Sunday.

alt='Jacob Murphy of Newcastle United celebrates scoring a goal during the Carabao Cup Semi Final.' class='alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-36835475' width='960' height='640' /> Getty

In the last match, Mikel Arteta's team snatched a 1-1 draw against Manchester City at the Emirates.

But with their title rivals Liverpool continuing to win, Arsenal needs to put in maximum effort to keep up.

Newcastle will pose a serious test, as the Gunners have struggled in their last three away matches in the Northeast.

The last time Arteta beat the 'Magpies' at their home was in 2023 with a score of 2-0.

Since then, all matches at St. James' Park have ended in victories for the hosts.

Last season, Newcastle beat Arsenal at home twice, with victories in the Premier League and the Carabao Cup semi-final.

How can Arsenal break the Newcastle curse?

Arsenal travels to Newcastle on 'Super Sunday', in a match already characterized as a 'survival match' for Mikel Arteta.

If Liverpool beats Crystal Palace on Saturday, the Gunners will find themselves 8 points behind league leaders before this match.

Eddie Howe is renowned as a coach who has a plan against Arteta. So what can Arsenal change?

Surely everyone remembers Arsenal's defeat to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup last season.

In their last three matches at St. James' Park, Arsenal has not scored a single goal.

The Gunners need to improve their scoring performance.

Declan Rice will be a key player, and Eberechi Eze may play on the flank instead of the 'number ten' position.

If Newcastle decides to press actively, Viktor Gyokeres could exploit the space behind the defenders.

alt='Declan Rice of Arsenal reacting during a Premier League soccer match.' class='alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-36835758' width='960' height='640' /> AP alt='Eberechi Eze celebrates scoring the first Arsenal goal.' class='alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-36835760' width='960' height='761' /> Getty alt='Illustration of the average team position for Arsenal against Manchester City on a soccer field, with player numbers and names listed.' class='alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-36835916' width='960' height='960' />

There is a risk area for Newcastle—if they press actively, and Arsenal can break free from the press, they may find Eze.

To overcome Newcastle's strong midfield, Arsenal must be flexible, forming triangles.

Perhaps Rice will drop in alongside Martin Zubimedi to create a double pivot, while Milo Merino will become the outlet pass between the lines.

If they lose the ball, Merino can rejoin Zubimedi and Rice to be solid and compact against the 'Toon'.

However, if they make mistakes, Newcastle quickly transitions into counterattacks, and Arsenal might find themselves under threat.

The only way out is maintaining flexibility in midfield to always have a one or two-man advantage at the base, then playing forward.

Why is Viktor Gyokeres not showing the needed results?

alt='Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal during the Carabao Cup match.' class='alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-36835765' width='960' height='763' /> Alamy alt='Heat map showing Viktor Gyokeres's movement during a match against Manchester City.' class='alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-36835921' width='960' height='960' /> alt='Illustration of Viktor Gyokeres' player stats for 90 minutes played against Manchester City, showing 22 touches, 11 passes, 0 dribbles, 0 shots, and 2 duels won.' class='alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-36835936' width='960' height='960' />

Gyokeres faces certain questions about his physical conditioning, despite his strong appearance in Portugal.

This is the Premier League.

Even if he scores against Leeds or Burnley, teams that Arsenal struggled with last year, it doesn't elevate his value.

So if Gyokeres scores 20 goals but all come against bottom-half teams, he will still be worth his weight in gold.

Arsenal continues to refine its playing schemes, and Gyokeres benefits from a more direct style of play.

The collaboration between him and Kai Havertz in the last match against Manchester City shows positive trends.

This is crucial, as their partnership could be the key to Arsenal's success this season.

Is Arteta ready to act decisively in a crucial match?

alt='Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, applauds the fans.' class='alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-36835776' width='960' height='649' /> Getty

Mikel Arteta assures that Arsenal is not afraid to play aggressively.

They aren't shying away from attacking play, although it doesn't quite align with Ange Postecoglou's training spirit.

This has led to criticism of Arteta for being too cautious, especially in transition.

The success of the team in upcoming matches will be a determining factor for the further development of their play.

Time will tell if Arsenal can overcome their perennial rivals and return to the path to titles.