Rafa Benitez will be looking to pick a team to extend Newcastle’s winning run.
Newcastle United head back to St James’ Park on Sunday looking to extend their current winning streak and end a rotten run against Arsenal.
The Magpies have won three in a row in the Premier League, but Arsene Wenger’s men have tasted victory in each of the sides’ last 10 meetings – going back to 2011.
With Arsenal in Russia on Thursday, though, and Newcastle in good nick, Rafa Benitez will fancy his chances. And Benitez must decide if he is going to stick with the same team again for the fourth week running.
There’s no decision to be made in goal, with Martin Dubravka the established first choice, while – fitness allowing – the back four should stay in place, too.
Mohamed Diame hasn’t been able to finish games of late, but he should still be started alongside Jonjo Shelvey. Isaac Hayden could well provide a handy option from the bench against his former club.
But the big call is up front. Islam Slimani will be raring to go, but Dwight Gayle has done nothing wrong, impressing despite a lack of goals.
The logical choice would be to stick with Gayle and then bring Slimani off the bench to get a goal late on, his team-mate by then having tired out Arsenal’s much-travelled back line.
How we expect Newcastle to line up against Arsenal:
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