Newcastle head to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday night looking to earn three points that would simultaneously help the Magpies charge up the table and dent Arsenal’s title aspirations.
The Gunners need to keep pace with Man City and Liverpool over the rest of the season if they want to have any chance of securing a first Premier League in 20 years.
When the pressure is on there are no easy games, and you certainly need your best players on the pitch.
That’s a luxury that’s been beyond Eddie Howe for the last few weeks, and at the time of writing, Newcastle still have eight players out injured according to Premier Injuries.
Newcastle lose Dubravka to illness
With Martin Dubravka also having fallen ill, Howe has been forced to call upon the services of calamity keeper, Loris Karius.
HOWAY NEWCASTLE! ?#ARSNEW // #NUFC pic.twitter.com/gCupf2b3n9
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) February 24, 2024
In a game of such importance, it’s imperative that the 30-year-old comes up big for the Magpies.
He will be marshalling a back four of Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Sven Botman and Tino Livramento, all of whom are likely to be under consistent pressure from the free-scoring hosts.
Bruno Guimaraes, Lewis Miley and Sean Longstaff make up a midfield full of grit, desire and no little skill, whilst Miguel Almiron, Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak make up an exciting front three.