Facing a side with a newly-appointed manager is never easy, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's record against both Newcastle and Manchester United could prove key as Mikel Arteta's side look to continue their push for a place in Europe.
The Magpies recently appointed Eddie Howe before the November international break, however, due to COVID-19 complications, the former Bournemouth boss is only now set to enjoy his first match in the dugout as Newcastle travel to Arsenal.
Meanwhile, over at Manchester United, the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks set to see them turn to Ralf Rangnick, with the former RB Leipzig boss expected to be appointed as interim boss before taking charge of them for the first time against the Gunners at Old Trafford.
The 'new manager bounce' is never easy to overcome, though Aubameyang could prove key in helping Arsenal overcome their tricky upcoming outings.
The Arsenal hitman has scored in all of his last five appearances against Newcastle in all competitions, amassing a total of six goals in the process.
However, despite his impressive record against Arsenal’s next opponents, Aubameyang has lost a bit of form of late and hasn’t scored in his last three Premier League matches.
Saturday's clash offers him a great opportunity to end this run as Arsenal play host to a side who've conceded a whopping 27 goals in their 12 Premier League games so far this season - the worst defensive record in the league.
Not only would a goal against Newcastle help Arsenal try to bounce back from their torrid outing at Liverpool, it would also set him up nicely for Thursday's trip to Manchester United.
Old Trafford has always been a difficult ground for Arsenal to visit and they've mustered just a solitary win from their previous 14 Premier League games there.
Achieving a second win in 15 attempts would boost Arsenal's chances of ensuring they remain in the hunt for a place in the top four, though the task has been made all the more challenging by the expected appointment of Rangnick.
However, Arsenal did manage to win away to Manchester United last season, with Aubameyang's second-half penalty ensuring the three points would be heading back to London with the visitors.
The 32-year-old has been largely inconsistent this season and hasn’t scored the number of goals fans have come to expect of him, but he now has a great opportunity to get his season up and running with goals against two opponents he's enjoyed playing against in the past.
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