Arsenal will be hoping to keep their title challenge intact when they face high-flying Newcastle at St James’ Park this weekend. The Gunners have led the Premier League for the majority of the season though Manchester City have now caught them and appear to be in the driving seat to claim another league title.
Newcastle sit third in the table heading into the match, six points clear of Liverpool in fifth though that gap could be cut to just three by the time they kick-off on Sunday. The Magpies have won eight out of their last nine Premier League matches and are looking to secure Champions League qualification for the first time in 20 years.
They need another nine points from their final five matches to mathematically guarantee a top four finish should Brighton & Hove Albion win all six of their remaining games.
The Magpies drew 0-0 with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium and beat The Gunners 2-0 on their previous visit to St James’ Park last season. It was only Newcastle’s second home win in 15 attempts against Arsenal as they look to make it back to back home wins against them for the first time since 1996.
Heading into the match, Eddie Howe’s side have a couple of injury concerns. Club captain Jamaal Lascelles has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a calf injury while Sean Longstaff and Allan Saint-Maximin have both been suffering with respective foot and hamstring injuries.
“Allan’s trained,” Howe said ahead of the match. “He trained [Thursday]. Great to see him back on the grass, trained very well too. Really pleased with that.”
Saint-Maximin has been named on the bench while Longstaff misses out.
On Longstaff, Howe added: “Sean’s okay. He’s improved. He hasn’t trained yet, so we’re hoping, either [Friday] or [Saturday], he will.”
Howe also has the dilemma of managing his two in form strikers in Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak. Wilson has netted eight goals in his last seven matches for United but has been limited to just two starts while Isak has seven goals in his last nine appearances, with seven of those being starts. The change could see £40million January signing Anthony Gordon drop out.
NUFC XI v Arsenal: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Guimaraes, Joelinton, Willock; Murphy, Wilson, Isak
Subs: Dubrakva, Dummett, Gordon, Saint-Maximin, Lewis, Targett, Manquillo, Almiron, Anderson
Here is Newcastle’s XI to face Arsenal...
9. RW: Jacob Murphy
Murphy has been in great form for Newcastle in recent weeks and could get the nod over Miguel Almiron. Photo: Eddie Keogh
10. ST: Callum Wilson
Wilson has managed to score eight goals in his last seven matches yet just two of those have been starts. With a week since Newcastle’s last match which Wilson came off the bench to score a brace, Eddie Howe may be tempted to start the No. 9. Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images
11. LW: Alexander Isak
It’s a champagne problem for Eddie Howe to choose between Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson. But with Allan Saint-Maximin still struggling for fitness and Anthony Gordon not able to take his chance last weekend, why not put both in the team? Isak set-up Wilson for his opener against Southampton and the two have linked up well when on the pitch. Photo: Clive Brunskill