Newcastle vs Arsenal - Matt Ritchie boost for Newcastle ahead of opener against Arsenal

Posted Friday, August 09, 2019 by PA

Newcastle midfielder Matt Ritchie will be available for Sunday’s Premier League opener against Arsenal provided he does not suffer a reaction to his return to training after injury.

The Scotland international has been struggling with a hamstring problem picked up during pre-season but is back in business, unlike full-back DeAndre Yedlin (groin) and striker Dwight Gayle (calf), who remain on the sidelines along with defender Florian Lejeune (knee).

New head coach Steve Bruce could hand competitive debuts to summer signings Joelinton, Allan Saint-Maximin and Jetro Willems. However, full-back Emil Krafth only trained with the squad for the first time on Friday, while fellow deadline-day acquisition Andy Carroll is lacking match fitness.

Arsenal could be without up to 12 players as they travel to the north-east without Mezut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac, who have been left out because of “security incidents” which are being investigated by police.

New signing Kieran Tierney (groin) will not make his bow while there are doubts over fellow recent recruits Dani Ceballos (ankle), David Luiz and Nicolas Pepe (both fitness).

Alexandre Lacazette has returned to training after suffering an ankle injury in the Emirates Cup defeat to Lyon but could also be absent, with Konstantinos Mavropanos and Emile Smith Rowe (both groin), Hector Bellerin and Rob Holding (both knee) and Mohamed Elneny (fitness) all likely to miss out.

Newcastle provisional squad: Dubravka, Darlow, Manquillo, Krafth, Dummett, Fernandez, Schar, Lascelles, Clark, Shelvey, Hayden, S. Longstaff, Ki, Ritchie, Willems, Atsu, Almiron, Saint-Maximin, Joelinton, Muto.

Arsenal provisional squad: Leno, Martinez, Bellerin, Maitland-Niles, Mustafi, Luiz, Papastathopoulos, Chambers, Monreal, Xhaka, Guendouzi, Torreira, Elneny, Willock, Ceballos, Mkhitaryan, Pepe, Aubameyang, Lacazette, Martinelli.