Arsenal and Newcastle United meet at the Emirates this evening in the tenth match of 15 in Double Gameweek 32.
This is both clubs’ only fixture in this round of games but Unai Emery and Rafael Benitez’s sides will be in action again next weekend in Blank Gameweek 33.
The headline team news concerns the benching of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has now only started two of Arsenal’s last six top-flight fixtures (albeit one he missed through illness).
Alexandre Lacazette leads the line for the Gunners and will be supported in attack by Alex Iwobi and Mesut Ozil.
Aaron Ramsey has shaken off a thigh strain to start but there is no place for the injured Granit Xhaka in the match-day squad.
Sead Kolasinac and Ainsley Maitland-Niles will feature at wing-back in what appears to be a 3-4-2-1.
That is also the system that Rafael Benitez has come to favour over the past couple of months and there is only one change to the Magpies’ starting XI from the side that drew 2-2 at Bournemouth in Gameweek 31: Jamaal Lascelles replacing Federico Fernandez.
Fabian Schar misses out through suspension.
Salomon Rondon, who has seven attacking returns in his last nine league starts, leads the line again for the visitors and is supported by Miguel Almiron and Ayoze Perez up front.
Benitez’s side
The Magpies haven’t won on their travels since Gameweek 17, however.
Only Liverpool and Manchester City have scored more home goals than Arsenal (37 in 16 matches) this season.
Lacazette hasn’t failed to register an attacking return in any of Arsenal’s last seven league fixtures at the Emirates.
Arsenal XI: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Sokratis, Mustafi, Monreal, Kolašinac; Ramsey, Guendouzi, Iwobi, Özil, Lacazette.
Newcastle United XI: Dubravka, Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune, Dummett, Ritchie, Hayden, Diame, Almiron, Perez, Rondon.
5 years, 25 days agoBarnes to vardy for free?
Means have to play either Anderson or Diop. Also have Vvd injury risk