Another away game in front of a packed and passionate crowd is not, it is safe to say, what Mikel Arteta wanted four days after the wounding defeat at Tottenham and with Champions League qualification on the line. But that is all the time the Arsenal manager has to sort out a team that barely got going on Thursday night before they were undone by defensive blunders and Spurs’ predatory strikers. The Gunners’ backline will be threadbare on Monday, with an injured Gabriel joining the suspended Rob Holding as the newest absentees. Arteta might wish he had held on to more of his fringe defenders for a season that was always going to have a fraught ending. Chris Wood and Allan Saint-Maximin may be looking forward to this one as Newcastle aim to continue their upward trajectory. Conrad Leach
Monday 8pm Sky Sports Premier League
Venue St James’ Park
Last season Newcastle 0 Arsenal 2
Referee Darren England
This season G14 Y57 R1 4.14 cards/game
Odds H 10-3 A 10-11 D 9-2
NEWCASTLE
Subs from Darlow, Dummett, Manquillo, Ritchie, Wilson, Gayle, Trippier, Fraser
Doubtful Fraser (hamstring)
Injured Hayden (knee, unknown), Shelvey (calf, unknown), Willock (knee, unknown), Fernández (achilles, unknown), Lewis (groin, unknown)
Suspended None
Discipline Y87 R2
Form WWWWLL
Leading scorer Wilson 6
ARSENAL
Subs from Leno, Okonkwo, Awe, Swanson, Lokonga, Pépé, Azeez, Hutchinson, Lacazette, Smith Rowe
Doubtful None
Injured Partey (thigh, Jun), Gabriel (hamstring, unknown), Tierney (knee, unknown)
Suspended Holding (one match)
Discipline Y61 R4
Form LWWWWL
Leading scorer Saka 11
