Newcastle will try to get their Premier League season back on track when they travel to face Arsenal at the Emirates on Saturday evening.
Eddie Howe’s side are not in the running for Champions League qualification given there is an 11-point gap between them and Aston Villa in fourth, so their fight is for the Europa League and Europa Conference League places.
The Magpies have only won twice in the Premier League in 2024 and they will be hard-pressed to get all three points from the Emirates on Saturday. Their chances get even slimmer when you consider that they will again be without a recognised striker as both Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak are out.
Here is the starting lineup Howe may choose for Arsenal vs Newcastle.
GK: Martin Dubravka – Made a couple of great saves to start the last match against Bournemouth but was then at fault for the opener, so he really showed both sides of his game. Overall, he has been deputising well for the injured Nick Pope.
RB: Kieran Trippier – He is one of only three players who have 10+ assists in the top five European Leagues this season, with Ollie Watkins also having 10 and Leroy Sane sitting top with 11. Not bad for a player who was so out of form around Christmas.
CB: Fabian Schar – A wrist injury picked up against Bournemouth means Newcastle are looking at Fabian Schar closely in the lead-up to this match, but the Swiss defender is still expected to start.
CB: Sven Botman – Some of the intensity from Sven Botman’s game seems to be missing since his return from injury, and he has spoken to club media about how hard it has been to get back up to speed in the Premier League.
LB: Dan Burn – The Newcastle fanbase does seem to have had enough now of Dan Burn playing at left-back, and it is a position that the owners will need to address in the summer if they want to get back into the Champions League.
CM: Sean Longstaff – Like Dan Burn, Sean Longstaff has become one of the scapegoats for Newcastle’s underwhelming form as the season has developed and his place in the team would be under threat were there fewer injuries.
CM: Bruno Guimaraes – Certainly the best player in this Newcastle team, Bruno Guimaraes is someone that the club should be working incredibly hard to keep as he is being linked with some very big sides.
CM: Lewis Miley – He played in a deeper role against Bournemouth and was very impressive, showing just how mature he seems to be for a player who is still just 17-years-old. Facing Arsenal will be a real test of his character.
RW: Miguel Almiron – Another in the same position as Longstaff and Burn, the Newcastle fanbase is growing tired of Miguel Almiron and it would not be a shock to see him leave the club when the summer transfer window arrives.
ST: Anthony Gordon – With Callum Wilson now out for 12 weeks and Alexander Isak not expected to be back in time to face Arsenal, it will be another central role for Anthony Gordon who netted a penalty against Bournemouth.
LW: Harvey Barnes – The season may have been a little different if Harvey Barnes was not missing for the majority of it. He is a very direct winger and provides some quality that the Magpies have been missing.
