Mikel Merino will not play for Arsenal against his former club Newcastle United on Sunday.
The Magpies travel to the Emirates for their penultimate Premier League game of the season.
After Newcastle’s win over Chelsea and Arsenal’s draw with Liverpool, Eddie Howe knows that a second-place finish is in his hands.
The Gunners did well to come from behind at Anfield on Sunday, with Gabriel Martinelli and Merino scoring to hand Mikel Arteta’s side a point.
However, that was not Merino’s only contribution. He picked up two yellow cards against Liverpool, resulting in him being sent off and receiving a one-match ban. He will therefore miss Sunday’s game against Newcastle United.
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Arsenal’s major injury concern
That is not Arsenal’s only concern.
Declan Rice missed the draw with Liverpool, and may not feature against Newcastle either.
According to the Independent, Rice is unlikely to feature during Arsenal vs Newcastle United next weekend due to a hip problem.
That is a major blow for Arsenal, who are yet to guarantee Champions League football for next season.
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While they remain in a strong position, they are at risk of being leapfrogged by the Magpies.
Newcastle will aim to make it four wins out of four against Arsenal on Sunday, having beaten them three times already this season without conceding a single goal.
Newcastle United’s injury concern ahead of Arsenal
While Arsenal are on course to be without Rice, it remains to be seen if Newcastle will have Kieran Trippier available against the Gunners.
The 34-year-old was absent for the win over Chelsea, with Sven Botman taking his place in the starting XI.
That saw Eddie Howe shift to a 3-5-2 formation, with Jacob Murphy operating as a wing-back.
Joe Willock also missed the Chelsea game. The former Arsenal midfielder was absent due to a thigh issue, and is in a race against time to feature against his former employers.
Newcastle will be hopeful that Botman is fit for Sunday’s game.
After making his first start since January, Botman was substituted with a knee issue in the 55th minute. However, Howe does not believe it is a serious problem.