Newcastle United vs Arsenal | News, Injuries, Suspensions & Line-ups

Newcastle United vs Arsenal, Newcastle United v Arsenal

Here is the team news as Arsenal travel to Newcastle United on Monday with just one aim – to hold on to the Champions League spot. The Magpies were humiliated in a 5-0 defeat by title-chasers Manchester City while Spurs beat the Gunners 3-0 in the North London derby.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has been nominated for the PL Manager of the Season award despite joining midway through the season. This shows he has helped the Toons make major progress in the right direction and big investments on incoming players are expected in the upcoming transfer window.

Eddie Howe and Mikel Arteta, Newcastle United, Arsenal — Image obtained via Chroniclelive

The top-six have managed to get points at St. James’ Park this season. But Newcastle United have won 6 out of the last 7 games at home which will be a concern for Arsenal. In the reverse fixture, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli scored at the Emirates to secure a 2-0 win.

Newcastle Last 5 Matches:

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Arsenal Last 5 Matches:

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Injury/Suspension List:

Newcastle United have multiple players returning from injury. Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson were on the bench against City and Ryan Fraser and could be back in the squad for this week’s games. Emil Krafth and Chris Wood have been starting due to these injuries and might have to move to the bench for this one. Jonjo Shelvey and Joe Willock are missing in midfield while Jamal Lewis and Federico Fernández are unavailable in defence.

Ben White has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury but might have to play in this game, especially with the centre-back crisis that boss Mikel Arteta is facing. Thomas Partey and Kieran Tierney will be watching from the reserves bench, nursing their long term injuries.

Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes was withdrawn with a muscle problem against Tottenham, and his participation is unlikely. With Rob Holding suspended for a game due to his red card, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White might be the centre-back pairing. If the latter is not fit, then we might see Granit Xhaka, Mohamed Elneny or Saka feature in a back five.

This will be one of those games where Arteta will have to go with the strongest squad available and play an unorthodox formation to get a win.

Arsenal Possible Starting Lineup (4-2-3-1):

Aaron Ramsdale (GK); Cedric (RB), Ben White (CB), Takehiro Tomiyasu (CB), Nuno Tavares (LB); Granit Xhaka (CDM), Mohamed Elneny (CDM); Bukayo Saka (RW), Martin Odegaard (CAM), Gabriel Martinelli (LW); Eddie Nketiah (ST).

Predicted Score

Newcastle United 1-1 Arsenal. Allan Saint-Maximin to score for the Magpies with a late equaliser from Martin Odegaard to secure a point for the Gunners.

Arteta will be worried about the way his defence capitulated against Spurs under hostile pressure from the rival fans at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The atmosphere created by the Magpies fans at Tyneside will be similar to the one at the derby. With Spurs taking on Burnley, Arsenal will have no time to dwell on the loss but get back to winning ways.

Still having to face Everton on the last day of the season at Emirates, the relegation candidates won’t make it any easy for Arteta’s men to get three points. The only major concern for the manager is that the team has not managed to keep a clean sheet in the last eight games.

The Gunners have won 17 and lost just one of their last 18 Premier League games against Newcastle, while they have lost only once in the last 13 at St James’ Park – winning seven of the last eight. Newcastle have a chance to break an unwanted record of not having scored against Arsenal in three years with the Gunners being likely to field a makeshift defence, which can be put under a lot of threat.

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