Arsenal v Newcastle: Preview
Arsenal have no fresh injury worries ahead of the Barclays Premier League clash with Newcastle at Emirates Stadium.CaptainWilliam Gallas and forward Theo Walcott (both knee) have recovered fromminor knocks picked up in the midweek Champions League victory over FCTwente, while winger Samir Nasri has shaken off a virus.
MidfielderCesc Fabregas came through unscathed following his return from ahamstring problem, but new signing Mikael Silvestre (thigh), TomasRosicky (hamstring), Abou Diaby (thigh), Amaury Bischoff (groin) andstriker Eduardo (leg) remain in recovery.
Newcastle boss KevinKeegan has promised the club's fans an influx of top signings aftersanctioning James Milner's £10million switch to Aston Villa.
Keegantravels to Arsenal with a squad ravaged by injuries and summerdepartures, the most notable of them England Under-21 internationalMilner's move to Villa.
With only three days to go beforeMonday's transfer deadline, the Magpies' squad is desperately thin, afact that was perhaps reflected by the swathes of empty seats at StJames' Park for last Saturday's 1-0 win over Bolton.
However,having held talks with club owner Mike Ashley and executive director(football) Dennis Wise on Wednesday, a surprisingly upbeat Keeganremains hopeful of recruiting up to four more new faces by the time thesummer window closes.
He said: "We had a great meeting. The owneris absolutely totally committed to the club, there is no doubt aboutthat, and it is a case of us trying to get the quality we want in.
"Thesecret is to pick the right ones, it's to make sure if you are going tolet a good player go, you replace him with another quality player whomaybe can take you in a slightly different direction as a team.
"That'sthe challenge we have now and I look forward to that. I would thinkthere is a very good chance of getting three or four players in.
"Mikecan only give us the ammunition that is the finance. We have got to goand find the players, and they have got to be the right players.
"So far, we haven't seen a massive influx of players into the club.
"ButI don't think any Newcastle fan would argue that the ones we havefetched in they see as quality and see as the right sort of players forNewcastle United, players who care and players who are putting a shirton and doing a good shift for the club.
"That will continue to bethe way we look for players and if, because we can't get those sort ofplayers, we don't fetch the volume in and a fair number, so be it.''
JoeyBarton could make a surprise return to the Newcastle squad followingMilner's departure and the news that Geremi has a knee ligament injury. |