THINGS have been tough for Newcastle United over the last few weeks – but they are about to get a whole lot tougher. It might be the festive season, but Rafael Benitez’s struggling side had better not bank on receiving too many gifts.

This afternoon, they head to the Emirates to take on Arsenal. They have lost on their last four visits to the ground, conceding an average of almost four goals a game. A week on Wednesday, they take on a Manchester City side who have racked up 15 consecutive Premier League victories. Good luck with that. Those games sandwich a trip to West Ham, and while the Hammers are one of just four sides currently below Newcastle in the table, they appear to have been reborn under David Moyes.

For all that this week’s takeover talk has generated some optimism on the banks of the Tyne, the Magpies remain in an extremely precarious position. There is the potential for the future to be bright, with Amanda Staveley’s camp increasingly confident of being able to strike an agreement with Mike Ashley. But the present, on the back of an eight-game winless run, remains bleak. And Arsenal, where Newcastle have received some horrendous hidings in the last few years, would hardly be the first choice of venue to start trying to turn things around.

“We have some difficult games coming up, but in football, you cannot predict things, especially in the Premier League,” countered Christian Atsu, who returned to Newcastle’s starting line-up for Wednesday’s home defeat to Everton.

“For us, we are positive. We are playing to win, not to draw or lose. We want to win every game, and we will keep fighting and working hard.

“It does not matter if it is Arsenal or Man City, we will try everything to win. It is difficult to get three points at Arsenal, but it is certainly not impossible.”

That is true, and Arsene Wenger’s side looked laboured on their last two outings, as they drew at Southampton and West Ham. They are a different proposition at the Emirates though, with two of their last three outings on their home ground having resulted in a 6-0 Champions League win over BATE Borisov and a 5-0 domestic victory over Huddersfield.

Can Newcastle contain the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Mezut Ozil and Alexandre Lacazette? They were unable to hold on to a lead at either Manchester United or Chelsea recently, but Atsu is hoping to draw inspiration from some of their more resilient displays earlier in the season.

“We were good at the start of the league - maybe we are unlucky or maybe we are doing something wrong,” he said. “We have also had injuries, but I believe in the squad and the team. The players we have, we know we can overcome (their recent poor run).

“We still have a lot of things to feel positive about. We have a long way to go this season, and we just have to try and improve.”

Atsu’s return provided a welcome injection of pace on Wednesday night, and the Ghanaian winger is expected to keep his place in the starting line-up this afternoon.

He started all bar one of the opening 11 games of the season, and his replacement in the last few weeks, Jacob Murphy, was unable to provide the same kind of attacking thrust down the left-hand side.

With Jonjo Shelvey unavailable this afternoon as he serves a suspension following his late dismissal against Everton, there will be an extra onus on Atsu and Matt Ritchie to try to unlock an Arsenal defence that can often be the weakest part of the Gunners’ team.

“I was really frustrated when I got injured,” said Atsu. “I was playing and the team was doing well. It was a surprise to get the injury. I was told I could be out three months, but I recovered well. Now, I just want to focus on doing well and improving the team.”

That focus will be needed as Newcastle look to produce one of the shock results of the season this afternoon. The bookmakers make the Magpies 12-1 outsiders to claim a victory at the Emirates, yet there is still a belief within the squad that the game is anything but a foregone conclusion.

Similarly, while there is a growing consensus that some significant spending in January will be the only way to keep Newcastle in the Premier League this season, the current group of players remain confident they are capable of turning things around.

“We know we are in a difficult situation, but we will overcome this, that is for sure,” said Atsu. “I trust my players and my coach. For sure, we are not going to stay like this.”