YOU DECIDE: The big decisions for Eddie Howe and Mikel Arteta ahead of Newcastle United v Arsenal Premier League showdown

The Magpies themselves might have had ambitions of challenging this season but are enduring a slower start to the campaign than they might have liked, sitting down in 13th place with just one win from their opening five matches.

Eddie Howe’s men will hope to ignite their campaign against The Gunners, knowing victory will put them just one point behind their opponents in the table.

They will be buoyed by their recent good home record against Mikel Arteta’s side, winning four of their last five St James’ Park meetings in all competitions.

Arsenal will be keen to change this, and continue what has otherwise been a strong start to their season, taking 10 points from their opening five games and sitting second on goal difference before the weekend’s action.

Ahead of the game, we look at the possible dilemmas facing each manager before the two teams lock horns.

Toon Tactics

The Magpies have favoured a 4-3-3 at home so far this season, while on the road, Howe has recently picked a more defensively secure 3-5-2, which has yielded two 0-0 draws at Leeds and Bournemouth respectively in their last two away games.

While those fans in black and white at St James’ Park on Sunday afternoon will hope to see their side play on the front foot – especially with winger Anthony Gordon returning from suspension – Howe might instead insist on setting up to frustrate Arsenal, which has been a successful tactic against Arteta’s side on several occasions in the past.

Keeping up appearances

Nick Pope seems to be Newcastle’s uncontested number one, having started all five Premier League matches and the UEFA Champions League defeat to Barcelona.

It seems unlikely Howe will make a change in this department for such a big game, but he does have something of a trump card in the form of former Arsenal stopper Aaron Ramsdale, who made his first start for The Magpies in the comprehensive 4-1 win over Bradford City in the League Cup.

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All right, all White?

Arsenal boast a robust defence which has only been breached twice so far this season in all competitions, despite a brief injury to William Saliba at the heart of their backline.

With the Frenchman now back in action, he will be expected to partner Gabriel at centre-back with Riccardo Calafiori stationed on the left.

On the other side, there is ostensibly no reason to dislodge Jurrien Timber from his position, with the dynamic Dutchman not putting a foot wrong so far this season.

However, Ben White is now back from injury and could be an option should the Gunners boss want to rotate, especially given the long-standing and fruitful partnership White has with Saka on that right-hand side of the pitch.

Eze does it?

The prevailing narrative following the draw with Manchester City last time out, much like it was in the defeat to Liverpool weeks earlier, was whether Mikel Arteta had, and continues to, set his side up too conservatively against the bigger sides.

For all their obvious talents, the midfield three of Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino, who started both those matches, are perhaps seen to lack the same creativity as other players in the squad.

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Video credit: SNTV

Failure to win either match simply intensified the scrutiny, and as the Gunners travel to a ground where they have lost – and failed to score – on their last three visits in all competitions, all eyes will again be on the trio Arteta picks centrally.

Summer signing Eberechi Eze scored his first goal for the club in midweek, albeit against Port Vale in the League Cup, and also laid on a brilliant assist for Gabriel Martinelli against City after coming off the bench, so fans will be clamouring for his inclusion from the start this week.

Gift of the Gab? Or Tros the process?

Bukayo Saka’s return against City was followed up by a decent run out at Port Vale, so he will be expected to start in his familiar role on the right of the forward line, especially with his prospective understudy Noni Madueke ruled out for several weeks with injury.

“I think he played the games that we anticipated, he did well, he feels good and he will be training the next few days.” Arteta said of Saka in his pre-match press conference.

Viktor Gyokeres will start up front, so the main question is who will be deployed on the left-hand side of the attack.

Following a slower start to the campaign, Gabriel Martinelli has recently come back with a bang, twice scoring off the bench against Athletic Club and City, respectively.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

Equally, Leandro Trossard provided an assist against Nottingham Forest, and also scored in Europe as well as against Port Vale – all three contributions also after coming on as a substitute.

Both players will now be hoping to make a similar impact from the start against Newcastle, but it seems like only one will get the chance.

Eze is also an option having started in the win over Forest – providing an assist for Gyokeres – and the trip to Bilbao.

Will-power or Wolte beater?

A thumping win in midweek over Bradford was a much-needed tonic for an otherwise goal-shy Newcastle side.

The loss of Alexander Isak has been discussed at length but the Swede’s exit, initially at least, has proven to be predictably damaging as far as The Magpies’ attack is concerned.

This however, is just one of three goals Newcastle have scored collectively in the league so far, with Bruno Guimares and William Osula scoring the others – both coming in the 3-2 defeat against Liverpool.

Encouragingly for Howe, Osula did also bag twice in the win over Bradford, potentially staking his claim for a starting spot against Arsenal at the expense of Woltemade.

“He (Osula) had an excellent performance on Wednesday – two brilliant goals,” said Howe in his latest press conference. “And it could have been more.”

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