Arsenal's probable XI vs Newcastle United  

The Unai Emery era began on a disastrous note with the Gunners losing their first two games of the season to Manchester City and Chelsea. However, the Spanish tactician has steadied the ship with victories over West Ham United and Cardiff City, although in an unconvincing fashion.

The Gunners have been adapting to a new style of play and with six points from the possible twelve, the fans expect the team to push on and make it three wins in a row with a victory against the struggling Newcastle United at St. James’ Park.

They have struggled against the teams managed by Rafa Benitez in the past and this one isn’t going to be any different. The veteran coach likes to organize his teams in a structured and compact manner.

Currently, in the drop zone with a solitary point from four games, the Magpies are expected to suffocate the Gunners’ attackers by cutting their supply lines. With Jonjo Shelvey expected to be fit to face Arsenal, Rafa Benitez will likely set his team to soak up the pressure and attack on the counter.

A win against Newcastle is vital for the Gunners to gain some momentum in the race for the top-4 and here is how the Gunners are expected to line up against the Magpies in a 4-3-3 formation.

Goalkeeper

Although shaky with the ball at his feet, Petr Cech is expected to start

While there have been calls for handing Bernd Leno a start, I expect Unai Emery to persist with Petr Cech. The veteran stopper might not be comfortable with playing from the back but he has completed 166 passes in the first four games.

Passing aside, he has been solid between the sticks even though Arsenal have conceded a plenty of goals in the League so far. Bernd Leno may have to wait till midweek to start his first competitive game when Arsenal face FC Vorksla Poltava in a Europa League group stage tie at the Emirates.

Defence

Sokratis and Mustafi will start, alongside Bellerin and Monreal, at St. James' Park

The Gunners are a little short on Defenders at the moment. So Unai Emery might stick to the same personnel that has started in defence against Cardiff City.

Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis have been solid if not spectacular and they are expected to be rested in the Europa League tie midweek. So they are expected to start at the St. James’ Park.

The form of fullbacks, Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal, has been a concern for the Gunners as they are getting caught out of their position way too many times. With Jonjo Shelvey likely to start for the Magpies, they need to be extra cautious with their positioning and forward runs.

Keeping an eye on the wingers, Kennedy and Jacob Murphy, who will benefit immensely from the long-range passes from Shelvey, will be a part of their game this evening.

Midfield

Xhaka and Ramsey are expected to retain their places in the starting XI

Following his industrious showing against Cardiff City, Aaron Ramsey is expected to retain his spot as the most advanced midfielder in the team. The Welshman’s relentless attributes are required to break down the Newcastle side that is structurally compact.

Lucas Torreira will likely be handed his first start of the season following his wonderful cameos off the bench in the first four games. The Uruguayan has been lively in his appearances and improves everyone around him owing to his ball-winning attributes and providing protection to the defence.

Granit Xhaka is likely to be the No.8 against the Magpies even though his performances have been mixed so far. His attacking play and passing are vital for the Gunners and he poses a significant goal threat from a distance. Likely to be positioned next to Torreira, the Swiss Midfielder is expected to dominate games like this while his more defensive-minded midfield partner will lessen the defensive load on him.

For all the impressive performances Matteo Guendouzi has put in so far, the youngster is likely to miss out owing to his erroneous positioning and Xhaka’s superior offensive capabilities.

Attack

Aubameyang, Lacazette and Ozil are expected to lead the attack

When you have two of the most deadly attackers around working in tandem, they are expected to start. Aubameyang has started the first three games of the season and struggled a bit in leading the line.

However, the Gabonese international was in fine form when partnered with Alexandre Lacazette, scoring with a sumptuous strike into the bottom right corner while the latter had a goal and an assist.

Given how efficient they were against Cardiff City, they are expected to retain their place with Lacazette as the central striker and the Gabonese international on the left wing.

Mesut Ozil will start on the right. His chemistry with Aaron Ramsey will enable the duo to swap positions whenever required as Ozil prefers to drift towards the centre. Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alex Iwobi are likely to start from the bench.