Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe could be working with a threadbare set of defensive options for Sunday’s Premier League showdown with second-placed Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
The Magpies have Champions League qualification in their own hands thanks to their 2-0 beating of Chelsea last weekend, but the win did not come without sacrifice as Sven Botman took a whack to the knee.
Howe has not ruled the Dutchman out of Sunday’s game, but he may err on the side of caution given the centre-back’s history of knee injuries, so Emil Krafth ought to step into the backline.
Alternatively, Jamaal Lascelles could finally make his first appearance of the season after being an unused substitute against Chelsea, but his lack of match practice will likely work against him.
Krafth ought to join Dan Burn and Fabian Schar in a three-man wall ahead of Nick Pope, while Jacob Murphy and Tino Livramento operate as wing-backs in Kieran Trippier and Lewis Hall‘s absences.
Goalscorers Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes will once again pair up in a Joelinton-less midfield; the latter could miss the Magpies’ last two games of the campaign due to his knee issue.
A long-term but likely unattainable target of Arsenal’s, Premier League Player of the Season nominee Alexander Isak spearheads the attack with support from dynamic wide duo Harvey Barnes and Anthony Gordon.
Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Pope; Krafth, Schar, Burn; Murphy, Tonali, Guimaraes, Livramento; Barnes, Gordon; Isak
> Click here to see how Arsenal could line up for this game
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