Newcastle and Arsenal return to Premier League action on the back of contrasting Carabao Cup results where Newcastle beat Manchester United to advance but Arsenal fell shot and were eliminated by West Ham United. Manchester United were far from the team that they were in February during the EFL final where Erik Ten Hag's team ended a six-year trophy drought as they won the cup. However, Newcastle were happy to complete their revenge mission on United and heal their Wembley wounds when they defeated the Red Devils 3-0 on Wednesday night.  Miguel Almiron's finish, Lewis Hall's sumptuous volley, and a crisp Joe Willock finish led to a familiar sense of doom and gloom around Old Trafford, as Eddie Howe's team set up a mouthwatering quarter-final outing versus Chelsea and brought an end to their two-game winless run following defeat to Borussia Dortmund and a 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

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Howe's team are currently ranked outsiders when it comes to Champions League qualification, though, as Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Aston Villa - who sit five points better off than Newcastle - are engaged in a captivating five-team tussle to dine at Europe's top table. The Magpies are more than capable of putting a dent in Arsenal's title aspirations while boosting their own hopes of glory, though, as they have won each of their last three Premier League home games without conceding, recovering the defensive nous that made them quite the force to be reckoned with in 2022-23. 

Arsenal have not added an EFL title to their trophy cabinet since 1993 and their painful wait for mid-season glory will continue owing to a shoddy display at the London Stadium, where they were pressed off the park by a fired-up West Ham side. Many of the Gunners fans, however, will claim that early exit from the EFL tournament is a blessing in disguise as Mikel Arteta's men can now fully focus on vying for the Premier League and the Champions League titles. Arsenal are still unbeaten ten games into the season and are sitting second behind Tottenham Hotspurs who are also unbeaten. 

The Gunners also have the best defensive record on away games in the league, having conceded two goals on the road. Arsenal defied expectations to sink Newcastle 2-0 at St James' Park six months ago and had earlier played out a goalless draw with Howe's men at the Emirates Stadium. Newcastle are an emerging football powerhouse in the Premier League especially after they were purchased by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund and their tomorrow's match against Arsenal will not be an easy fixture for the Gunners. 

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(Image: Opta Analyst)