Danny Rose and Valentino Lazaro both make their first starts for Newcastle United as the Magpies take on Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium this afternoon.
The two players featured from the substitutes’ bench in United’s last Premier League outing – against Norwich City a fortnight ago, when Steve Bruce’s side failed to break down the division’s bottom team. Today, though, they have the chance to impress from the off, with Rose on the left and Lazaro on the right of the Magpies’ five-man backline.
That defensive quintet is completed by Ciaran Clark, Federico Fernández and captain Jamaal Lascelles. All three started against Norwich, though only Lascelles did so against Oxford in the FA Cup 72 hours later. His partners at the back that night, Florian Lejeune and Fabian Schär, are both on the bench at the Emirates.
Sean Longstaff – who opened the scoring against the U’s – keeps his place in midfield today, with former Tottenham man Nabil Bentaleb joining him in the engine room. Elsewhere, there is a familiar look to the Magpies’ attack, where Miguel Almirón and Allan Saint-Maximin will look to provide support to Joelinton.
Bruce will be hopeful that the Brazilian – who suffered a minor rib injury against Oxford - will come through this afternoon’s encounter unscathed, with fellow frontmen Dwight Gayle and Yoshinori Muto still sidelined. Both players have returned to training in recent days though neither were part of the squad who travelled to North London.
Newcastle United: Martin Dúbravka, Valentino Lazaro, Federico Fernández, Ciaran Clark, Danny Rose, Nabil Bentaleb, Sean Longstaff, Allan Saint-Maximin, Miguel Almirón, Joelinton.
Substitutes: Karl Darlow, Fabian Schär, Florian Lejeune, Isaac Hayden, Matty Longstaff, Matt Ritchie, Christian Atsu.