Arsenal can be a confusing team to watch sometimes.
They can be on a tear in the Premier League, dispatching teams left and right, only to then go and lose 1-0 away to Porto in the Champions League.
Yes, Mikel Arteta's men certainly had a night to forget on Wednesday, but that shouldn't overshadow just how good they have been domestically.
The Gunners have won five on the spin for the first time this season and have done so in style, with an aggregate score of 21-2.
So, while there will need to be a few tweaks here and there to the lineup that'll face Newcastle United, there doesn't need to be wholesale change.
And with a number of players currently out through injury, Arteta can only make so many alterations anyway.
Player
Injury
Possible Return
Jurrien Timber
Knee
20/04/2024
Takehiro Tomiyasu
Other
12/03/2024
Oleksandr Zinchenko
Calf/Shin/Heel
03/03/2024
Thomas Partey
Thigh
24/02/2024
Gabriel Jesus
Knee
24/02/2024
Fabio Vieira
Groin
24/02/2024
That said, let's take a look at the side that could take on the Toon tonight, with one personnel and a few positional changes to the team that fell to defeat in Europe.
1 GK – David Raya
So, starting at the back, it's fairly obvious who will be putting on the gloves for Arsenal these days; long gone are the discussions over whether it was going to be Aaron Ramsdale or David Raya.
Arteta has made it crystal clear recently that the former Brentford man is, in fact, his number one goalkeeper now, and with him starting the last 12 league games on the bounce – only sitting out the game at the Gtech due to his loan deal – he'll start again tonight.
2 RB – Ben White
Ben White will be the right-back tonight, as he has already started 88% of the team's league games.
With Tomiyasu set to miss out, there really isn't another option available to Arteta, lest he make a bold – and frankly incorrect – call to start Cedric Soares.
3 CB – William Saliba
Starting to the left of White will be the indomitable William Saliba.
The Frenchman has started 100% of the team's league games this season and has played 100% of league minutes to boot.
Alongside his impressive defensive performances, the 22-year-old is also starting to add some attacking threat to his game, scoring two goals and providing one assist in his 25 league games thus far.
4 CB – Gabriel
Starting alongside Saliba, as he often does, will be Gabriel.
The Brazilian has started 84% of Arsenal's league games this season and has racked up four goals in 23 games.
5 LB – Jakub Kiwior
Completing the Gunners' back for tonight will be Polish international Jakub Kiwior.
The former Spezia man has taken some time to settle into this Arsenal side, but with Arteta now instructing White to invert into the middle and letting Kiwior stick to defending, he has looked much better and helped Arsenal keep back-to-back clean sheets in the league.
If Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu were fit, they might not immediately make it back into the team, which is a testament to his recent performances.
6 CDM – Declan Rice
The first name in the midfield is the £105m man himself, Declan Rice.
The former West Ham United captain has been a revelation in north London and has played a massive role in creating the best defence in the league.
However, it's not just his defensive work that has made an impact at the club, as he has scored four goals and provided five assists to boot.
If there were ever such a thing as a £105m bargain, it would be Rice.
7 CM – Jorginho
Now, Rice's midfield partner brings us to the first change to the lineup, and Jorginho comes back into the fold.
The "unbelievable" Italian, as Arteta dubbed him, hasn't started a game since the clash with Liverpool because he hasn't been needed against teams like West Ham United and Burnley, but the Magpies are a different proposition entirely.
With Bruno Guimaraes likely starting, Arteta will need to make sure his side are robust enough in the middle of the park to dictate play, which is what the addition of Jorginho should help with.
After all, the "immense" midfielder, as journalist Simon Phillips described him, was one of the best players on the pitch when he started at St James' Park last season, getting an 8/10 from GOAL's Charles Watts.
8 CM – Martin Odegaard
Club captain and Norwegian international Martin Odegaard will take the final and most attacking, spot in midfield.
The former Real Madrid gem has looked back to his best in recent games – bar Wednesday evening, that is – and has eight goals and seven assists to his name in 32 appearances so far this season.
9 RW – Bukayo Saka
The sky is blue – well, grey – the grass is green, and Bukayo Saka starts for Arsenal.
They say that death and taxes are the only certainties in life, but you can add Saka being in the starting XI to that list as well.
The 22-year-old talisman has played 33 games for the Gunners this season and has racked up 15 goals and 13 assists in the process, so you'd be a fool to bet against him adding to that tally this evening.
10 ST – Kai Havertz
The striker position brings the second change to the lineup, as Kai Havertz moves back into a position he has played in several times this season and played well at that.
In fact, he has started as a striker four times for Arsenal in 2023/24, twice against Liverpool and twice against Manchester City, and he has come out victorious on three occasions.
The German may not be prolific, but his presence up top helps those around him, and while he won't get the plaudits, Arteta clearly loves having him in the team.
