Arsene Wenger

9:55: Arsenal have sauntered to an easy 3-0 win here. Newcastle's losing streak extends to six as Arsenal tighten their grip on fourth place with just two games remaining, four points ahead of Everton.

FULL TIME

Arsenal 3-0 Newcastle United

(Koscielny, 26, Ozil, 42, Giroud, 66)

9:50: Newcastle work the ball down the right flank and Sissoko lifts an inviting ball across goal from the byline. Dummett is running onto it shaping to hit a volley and... you know the rest. It's fired woefully wide to sum up an insipid Newcastle performance.

9:48: Three minutes of time added on at the Emirates.

9:46: We are into the final minutes of the 90 as Monreal slams a ball across goal that Krul gets a foot to and blocks. The ball is temporarily loose but the Gunners don't capitalise and the chance is gone.

9:44: Shouts for a penalty as Rosicky breaks onto Podolski's poked through ball in the box. The Czech is felled by Yanga-Mbiwa but replays suggest he had driven his effort well wide before contact was made.

9:42: Sanogo is immediately involved as he gets on the end of a clever through ball from Rosicky but the young Frenchman made his move too early and is offside.

9:40: Anita wins possession on the edge of his own area and plays the ball upfield. Remy retrieves and holds the ball up as Sissoko advances but the striker woefully overhits a lofted ball. Newcastle don't look too bothered about this game anymore and Arsenal seem satisfied with 3-0. Yaya Sanogo comes on for Olivier Giroud. Debuchy also comes off for Yanga-Mbiwa.

9:37: Arsenal try to work the bal across from the right but Colocinni rises to clear the danger for an Arsenal corner.

9:33: Dummett heads down the left flank fairly innocuously but Sagna makes the unnecessary foul. The Frenchman rather stupidly punches the ball into the ground and picks up a needless yellow card. The resulting Newcastle free kick is, once again, harmless.

9:31: And it's Ozil, with a goal and an assist to his name, coming off with Ramsey for Rosicky and Flamini.

9:29: Mathieu Flamini and Tomas Rosicky are preparing to come on as the Gunners cruise towards the win. Moments earlier Gouffran worked a bit of space for himself just inside the Arsenal box but with no one offering him an option, opts to shoot and Szczesny saves.

9:26: Nearly a fourth! Ozil saunters into space down the left again and is picked out by Cazorla. The German slides the ball across the box to his compatriot Podolski who is arriving on the edge of the area, but his low drive grazes the outside of the post on it's way out.

9:24: Game over. It's wonderfully easy for the Gunners as Mesut Ozil is found overlapping on the left in acres of space and delivers a pinpoint cross onto the head of Giroud, who thumps the ball home at the near post.

Goal! Arsenal 3-0 Newcastle (Olivier Giroud)

9:22: Tiote, Anita and Sissoko are still sitting very deep in midfield despite Arsenal's two goal advantage. As you can imagine, Remy is cutting a pretty lonely figure up front.

9:19: Cazorla cuts infield to pick up a lofted pass and slides a wonderful reverse ball through to Giroud who has broken clear of his man. The Frenchman is offside however and Krul blocks his effort for good measure.

9:16: Rare chance for Newcastle on the break as Gouffran drops of the shoulder of the last man and races down on goal. He fires from a difficult angle and Szczesny has to make the block. The Gunners have been in firm control but that will have given them a slight wake up call.

9:14: Newcastle have emerged for this second half with no intention of getting back into this it seems. Arsenal are rolling the ball around with ease in front of goal under no real pressure, just as they did in the first half but with greater control.

9:10: Another Arsenal corner falls to Cazorla who opts for the spectacular volley, but instead lashes an ugly effort over the bar.

9:09: Aaron Ramsey skips down the inside left channel and despite overunning it slightly, cleverly wins a free kick out. The ball is swung into the box towards the back post but Sagna's effort is blocked.

9:06: Arsenal spring into life all of a sudden as Ramsey carries the ball up field before finding Monreal. The Spaniard slides a ball into Podolski but under pressure from Williamson the German is unable to bring the ball under control and the chance is gone.

9:04: Slow start to this half as Arsenal comfortably stroke the ball around.

9:00: And Newcastle get us back underway for the second half.

HALF TIME - Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle

8:47: Arsenal are carving through Newcastle as the first half draws to a close. Cazorla nearly gets in on the act as he strides past Colocinni on the edge of the area and fires across goal, but Krul again makes a good save.

8:45: Ozil's touch is a poor one as he breaks into the box and tries to pick up a pass and is forced wide. The German retrieves possession and expertly evades the challenge of Paul Dummett who is left on his backside before playing the ball back across goal, but Newcastle clear.

8:44: There's more than hint of offside about that goal, however. It looks as if Ozil was ahead of the onrushing Krul when he tucked away the rebound.

8:42: Arsenal double their lead! Mathieu Debuchy forgets to follow his defensive line up and Olivier Giroud is on side as he breaks down the inside right channel. He cuts inside and attempts to slide into the far corner but Krul makes the save, and denies the Frenchman again on his follow up! It's all in vain however as Ozil is lingering into the box and tucks away the rebound.

Goal! Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle (Mesut Ozil)

8:40: Arsenal nearly fashion a couple of openings but their final ball from wide areas lets them down. It's worked back to Cazorla just inside the area but he wildly lashes wide.

8:38: Debuchy emerges on the right flank with his back to goal and turns easily past Monreal. He brings the ball forward and tries his luck from 25 yards but it's wide of Szczesny's post. Not a bad effort.

8:37: Sagna finds space down the right and swings a teasing ball into the six yard area. Giroud goes down under the challenge of Williamson but his appeals are turned away. Good defending from the Newcastle centre half who followed the Frenchman all the way.

8:35: Aaron Ramsey joins Sissoko in the referee's book for a late challenge on Tiote.

8:34: Arsenal partially clear a Newcastle cross that falls to Tiote a good 35 yards out from goal. Still with just that last minute screamer against the Gunners in that 4-4 thriller as the only goal to his name, the Ivorian fancies his luck and lashes another towards goal. It's clean strike but it curls straight into the arms of the Gunners goalkeeper.

8:33: It's a similar delivery too but Szczesny is out to collect.

8:32: Bacary Sagna is late on Loic Remy and Newcastle have a free kick of their own in a similar position to the one where Arsenal scored from.

8:30: Great save by Krul! Newcastle clear the first corner and Cazorla this time opts for an inswinger. Podolski meets it with a thumping header but it's straight at Krul who reacts well to palm it to safety.

8:28: Arsenal are nearly in again! Tiote can't hold onto the ball in the centre of the park and Ramsey is on it, lifting a ball through to Podolski in the inside left channel. The German opts to try and slide it past Krul but the Dutchman gets a touch to steer it wide for a corner.

8:26: Arsenal have the lead! Cazorla stands over the resulting free kick from 30 yards out and swings an inviting ball into the six yard area. Sissoko, the man who gave away the free kick, is guilty of losing his man and Koscielny gets the slightest touch on the ball to divert it past Krul.

Goal! Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle (Laurent Koscielny, 25)

8:24: Olivier Giroud attempts to break free from the last man to get on the end of a lofted through ball but hits the deck after a tussle with Sissoko. The Frenchman appeals for a foul and it's given.

8:20: Sissoko is on the end of a Newcastle throw in and cleverly flicks the ball past Mertesacker and advances forward at pace. The Frenchman has Sagna for company and opens up his body to curl one from 20 yards but it's lifted well wide.

8:18: Arsena'l's corner is cleared but only temporarily as Cazorla swings another inviting ball into the box. Under pressure from Koscienly Krul partially clears but the ball falls to Ozil on the edge of the area whose half volley flashes wide. Newcastle are given the free kick for a foul on their shot stopper.

8:16: First sign of Arsenal coming alive here as Olivier Giroud frees Aaron Ramsey on the counter but Williamson does well to stick with the Welshman and the attack breaks down.

8:14: Arsenal lacking a bit of a cutting edge in this opening 15 minutes. Aaron Ramsey is the latest player guilty of misplacing a straight forward ball in the final third and another attack fizzles out.

8:12: Cazorla pulls wide, receives the ball and sends Ozil scampering down the right flank in space. The German edges in field but his pass across the box is easily collected by Newcastle.

8:10: Anita looks up and spots Gouffran but the Dutchman's attempt at a raking long through ball is woefully overhit and Szczesny collects.

8:08: Nothing to shout home about to far in this contest. Arsenal have on a couple of occasions looked to exploit space on Newcastle's right through Monreal and Podolski, but the away side have held firm so far.

8:06: A neat move from Arsenal involving Podolski, Ramsey and Ozil is played wide for Monreal who has crept in behind the Newcastle line again, but the away side force a corner. It's swung in and Tim Krul unconvincingly bats it away having been impeded by an Arsenal defender.

8:04: Colocinni brings the ball forward into the Arsenal half before spraying a searching ball out to the left flank. There's too much on it for the Frenchman but Paul Dummett on the overlap reaches instead, but is ruled offside. Arsenal resume possession.

8:02: Arsenal, as you expect, enjoying early control of possession. Nacho Monreal slides the ball infield to Podolski before embarking on a burst down the left but the German's return ball is overcooked.

8:00: And Arsenal get us underway.

7:57: The teams are making their way out onto the pitch as we edge towards kick off.

7:54: Alan Pardew is back on the touchline for the first time in seven matches and is glad to be there.

We are a team and it is important to have that connection on the sideline and I am looking forward to it [being back from his ban]. We are in better shape tonight. We have a few back and hopefully we will give a good account of ourselves."A win is important. This is a tough place to come.

7:50: Arsene Wenger has had the luxury of naming an unchanged XI this evening and is hoping his side can rediscover some consistency as they aim to secure fourth place.

We have a great opportunity. We play at home in a big game and we want to do well and win the game. We have some players back and we want to show that we have consistency back. It is always a relentless challenge to be consistent." [via Sky Sports]

7:45: Aaron Ramsey makes just his second start for Arsenal since Boxing Day and has wasted little time in picking up from where he left off in front of goal. The Welshman was on the score sheet and provided an assist in the 3-0 win over Hull City last week.

7:40: Is it too much to expect a replica of this fixture last season tonight? Theo Walcott netted a hat-trick as the Gunners ran out 7-3 winners in December 2012. Demba Ba scored twice for the Magpies, his last goals for the club before joining Chelsea.

7:32:Newcastle are looking to end a run of five straight defeats at the Emirates this evening. In that run they have hit the back of the net just once without Loic Remy in the side

7:25 In addition to Remy, Newcastle United also have Alan Pardew back on the side lines this evening. The former West Ham, Charlton and Southampton boss has served his seven match suspension for head butting Hull's David Meyler in March.

LINE UPS

Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Arteta, Ramsey, Ozil, Cazorla, Podolski, Giroud

Newcastle: Krul; Debuchy, Williamson, Coloccini (c), Dummett; Gosling, Anita, Tiote, Gouffran; Sissoko; Remy

TEAM NEWS: Loic Remy returns for Newcastle and starts his first game since early March while Arsenal remain unchanged from the side that beat Hull City last week.

7:10: After Everton's loss to Southampton at the weekend Arsenal have the opportunity to open up a four point gap on the Toffees and solidify their place in the final Champions League qualification spot. Newcastle meanwhile have been the very definition of midtable obscurity for much of the year; any result tonight will see them remain in ninth place.

7:05: Good evening and welcome to IB Times UK's LIVE coverage of Arsenal v Newcastle United. We will have all your team news ahead of kick off coming up shortly.