Arsenal continue their pre-season preparations against Premier League rivals Newcastle United in Singapore this afternoon. The Gunners are on to their second game of their Far Eastern venture, having beaten Milan 1–0 at the Singapore National Stadium in the week. Newcastle, meanwhile, were thumped 4–0 at Celtic Park last weekend.
Arsenal fans are celebrating the arrival of Viktor Gyokeres with his £63m arrival from Sporting CP finally confirmed on Saturday. Newcastle United fans meanwhile are fearing the worst over the future over their own Swedish striker.
After playing the second-half of Gunners win over AC Milan on Wednesday, Martin Zubimendi makes his first start for following his summer transfer.
He comes into the midfield alongside fellow Spaniard and ex-Real Sociedad teammate Mikel Merino, who also played the second-half of Arsenal first game in Southeast Asia.
The other two changes from the starting lineup for that match against Milan see Myles Lewis-Skelly replace Oleksandr Zinchenko at left back, and Leandro Trossard come in for Gabriel Martinelli.
According a post seen on Gunners official Twitter account, Arsenal starting XI to face Newcastle are as follows:
Raya, White, Saliba, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Zubimendi, Merino, Nwaneri, Saka, Trossard, Havertz
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Setford, Rojas-Fedorushchenko, Nichols, Salmon, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Norgaard, Lokonga, Copley, Rice, Dowman, Odegaard, Kabia, Nelson, Martinelli, Harriman-Annous.
Newcastle starting line up:
Pope; Trippier, Lascelles, Burn, A Murphy; Guimaraes, Tonali, Willock; Elanga, Osula, Gordon
Subs: Vlachodimos, Ruddy, Botman, Schar, Joelinton, Barnes, Targett, Krafth, Livramento, Murphy, Ashby, Harrison, Hernes, Munda, Neave, Miley, Seung-Soo Park
The Magpies have proven to be nightmare opponents for the Gunners since Eddie Howe took the reins, and they claimed three successive victories against Mikel Arteta’s side last season before they slenderly prevailed in May.
Newcastle downed the north Londoners on their way to EFL Cup glory earlier this year, winning both legs of the semi-final 2–0.
