OPINION
Arsenal are sat outside the Premier League top-four after the weekend’s results but, incredibly, a win against Newcastle tonight will put them into third, two points above Man United and bitter rivals Tottenham.
That would have seemed highly unlikely a couple of months ago but Tottenham have now not won in five, losing four and recording their first draw of the season against Arsenal.
They lost 2-1 to Liverpool on Sunday and that’s really loosened their grip on the top-four and a place in the Champions League next season.
Unai Emery’s men won’t need any more motivation to put in a good performance at the Emirates tonight and they’re in good form – in contrast to Tottenham they’ve won four and drawn the other of their last five games.
The big sweat tonight is over Granit Xhaka who could be pivotal against Newcastle. He went off injured for Switzerland over the international break with his side winning 3-0 against Denmark. They came back to draw 3-3 with Xhaka off the pitch.
We think he will be fit for tonight but Matteo Guendouzi will step in to deputise if not with Lucas Torreira suspended.
We’re also expecting a return for Sokratis, which will see Skhodran Mustafi, 26, dropping to the bench. Bernd Leno should get the gloves over Petr Cech who kept a clean sheet in the last game out against Rennes.
They’re the only two changes we’re expecting – this is the team we expect Emery to put out against Newcastle on Monday night:
