Rice starts, Havertz decision made and Merino replacement – Arsenal line-ups vs Newcastle

It is the final home match of the season as Arsenal still have work to do to claim both second spot but fully confirm their qualification for the UEFA Champions League for next season.

How the manager might look to get his first scalp on the Magpies though will take some thought.

With that in mind, football.london's writers have given their views on who should start for the club in what remains an odd fixture to both preview and potentially endure.

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Tom Canton

More players unavailable for another game, shock and horror! Mikel Merino is out with a suspension following his red card on Merseyside and there remain some questions over other players' readiness after other muscular problems.

For my team, I have been intrigued about the idea of Riccardo Calafiori playing left centre-half and so he comes into the back line for Jakub Kiwior to partner Ben White, covering for the still out Jurrien Timber, William Saliba and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Declan Rice hopefully can overcome his issue after being spotted in training ahead of the game with Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard completing the midfield. The skipper's long-range effort forced the equaliser on the weekend with calls for Odegaard to now be much braver with these moments.

Up top, with Merino out and Leandro Trossard in question, I have gone with Gabriel Martinelli through the middle with the chance perhaps to see Kai Havertz later on. Bukayo Saka continues on the right but then Ethan Nwaneri comes in on the left.

Canton's Arsenal XI vs Newcastle: Raya; White, Saliba, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly; Partey, Rice, Odegaard; Saka, Martinelli, Nwaneri.

Joe Doyle

While Mikel Arteta understandably didn't want to comment on whether Newcastle were a "bogey" team for his side, they've certainly had the Gunners' number this season with three wins from three meetings.

Despite it being the penultimate game of the season, there's no sign of either team taking their foot off the pedal; Arsenal want to sew up second place in the league, and Newcastle are still fighting for a spot in next season's Champions League.

Given where Newcastle's strengths lie, I think I'd be tempted to go for as mobile a team as possible for Arsenal. Raya obviously starts in goal, then I'd go for a defence of White, Saliba, Calafiori and Lewis-Skelly. Isak's strengths are in his pace and movement, and I'd trust Calafiori more to deal with that than Kiwior.

The midfield essentially picks itself with Partey, Rice and Odegaard starting, assuming Rice is fully ready to start. If not, then I'd be moving Lewis-Skelly into midfield with Kiwior at centre-back and Calafiori on the left.

And then in attack I'm not sure Havertz is ready to start a game, so he'll hopefully come off the bench at some point. But it's a front three of Saka, Nwaneri and Martinelli, with the Brazilian in the No.9 role.

Doyle's Arsenal XI vs Newcastle: Raya; White, Saliba, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly; Partey, Rice Odegaard; Saka, Nwaneri, Martinelli.