Arsenal predicted line-up vs Newcastle: big Gabriel decision as eight changes made from mid-week game

Mikel Arteta will take his Arsenal side to face a Newcastle team brimming with confidence this weekend, after their emphatic League Cup victory over Chelsea in midweek. For Arsenal, who are already five points behind Manchester City, this is shaping up to be a critical match as they try to close the gap to the Premier League’s summit. Any slip-up could be costly, even though we're still only in November.

The Gunners are also dealing with some injury concerns. Martin Ødegaard (ankle) and Riccardo Calafiori (knee) will both miss the trip to Newcastle, as will Kieran Tierney (hamstring) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee). However, they’re likely to have influential defender Gabriel back after he missed the midweek League Cup game against Preston. Ahead of what promises to be an intriguing game, here’s the team we anticipate Mikel Arteta might select:

Goalkeeper and defenders

David Raya has proven his manager’s trust in him was well-placed and will likely retain his spot in goal. Thomas Partey has been excellent in the right-back role and, with his contract expiring this summer, Arsenal will evaluate how well he has adapted to providing stability for the team. Jurrien Timber, who held his own against Mohamed Salah last week, should keep his position at left-back, with the solid central defensive pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães as the preferred choice.

Midfield

Declan Rice is one of the first names on Mikel Arteta’s team sheet, and for good reason—he plays in a style his manager values, keeping things simple while working tirelessly. He will be supported by Mikel Merino, who had his best game in an Arsenal shirt against Liverpool. If he continues in this form, he’s likely to retain his spot, with Kai Havertz, a somewhat underrated player, taking the number 10 role.

Forward line

Bukayo Saka is undoubtedly the most important player for Arsenal, and keeping him fit has been crucial. He’ll be joined in the forward line by Gabriel Martinelli and the elusive Leandro Trossard as they look to generate goals for the team.

Possible Predicted Team:

Raya; Partey, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Saka, Rice, Merino, Martinelli; Havertz, Trossard.