The official reason why Alexander Isak is missing for Newcastle United against Arsenal.
The Magpies can secure Champions League qualification and move up to second in the Premier League table with a victory at the Emirates this afternoon.
Eddie Howe’s side beat Chelsea 2-0 last Sunday and have been forced into one change - and it’s a big one.
The official reason why Alexander Isak misses Arsenal vs Newcastle United
United are without top goalscorer Isak, who has two goals in three appearances against the Gunners this campaign.
According to club sources, the Swede is missing because of a “minor groin issue”. It is a problem the striker is understood to have been nursing for a while, although he has played every game since missing the 2-0 defeat at Liverpool in February with the issue.
In Isak’s absence, Callum Wilson leads the line for only his second Premier League start of the campaign.
Newcastle United given Sven Botman & Joe Willock injury boost
Botman made his first start in three months but was withdrawn in the 55th minute after icing a knee problem at half-time. Considering his recent history with knee injuries, it was feared the 25-year-old could be set for another period on the sidelines.
But those fears have been allayed with Botman retaining his place in the back three alongside Fabian Schar and Dan Burn.
Addressing Botman’s injury at Friday’s pre-match press conference, Howe said: “It was a knock actually, so I think he sort of got a bang on his knee. But it was sore. We're not sure about Sven's availability for the weekend. We give him every chance to be fit.
I think he's been unlucky. The ACL was the ACL, obviously. I think the first injury he had came from a knock as well, which ended up being a really minor operation. But you're going to get knocks and bangs and bruises in the position that he plays. This is a similar type thing. I think he's just been really unlucky on the last two occasions.”
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Meanwhile, Joe Willock is back and on the bench after missing last weekend with a knee issue. United remain without Kieran Trippier (calf), Joelinton (knee), Lewis Hall (foot) and Matt Targett (hamstring).
Newcastle United stick with 3-5-3 formation
The Magpies have won all three matches against the Gunners this campaign without conceding a goal.
“Yeah, I think obviously it bodes well for us,” Howe said. “I think these games we've had against Arsenal this year have been very difficult games. They've been really evenly poised. I think we've come out on the right side of them but the games themselves have been really tight and really difficult as we knew they would be. And the home game was decided by a brilliant goal from Alex.
“The cup games, they're always different games. There's a different feel to them. We're pleased with how we performed but we know that if our standards had dropped a really small amount, Arsenal would have capitalised on that.
“I think we go into the game with confidence from the previous games, but with the realisation we need to perform at our best as we have done against them.”
NEWCASTLE UNITED XI: Nick Pope, Tino Livramento, Fabian Schar, Sven Botman, Dan Burn, Jacob Murphy, Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, Harvey Barnes, Anthony Gordon, Callum Wilson. SUBS: Martin Dúbravka, John Ruddy, Emil Krafth, Jamaal Lascelles, Sean Longstaff, Lewis Miley, Joe Willock, Will Osula, Sean Neave.
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