£90m duo to return? – Predicted Newcastle team vs Arsenal as Howe faces three big calls

Newcastle United are back in Premier League action tonight, with Eddie Howe’s Mags taking on Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal at 8pm.

There’s a few tough calls, but this is the starting XI we’ve gone for ahead of the game:

Predicted 11: Dubravka – Trippier, Schar, Botman, Livramento – Longstaff, Bruno, Miley – Almiron, Isak, Gordon.

To start with, it’s worth noting that I’m 50-50 on Isak. He’s trained ‘very well’ this week according to Howe, but it’s tough to say if he’ll be eased back into the side and brought on as a sub, or thrown in from the off.

The other big decision is who to start out wide. Almiron and Murphy are options down the right and the former has been very poor in our last two, but there’s also the option of going with Gordon on the right and Barnes down the left if Isak is ready to return up top. That is our best front three on paper, but we’ll need our left winger to be up and down the line all night, not only getting at Ben White but helping defensively against Bukayo Saka. I’m not sure Barnes will be handed that task just a few games on from his return to fitness, so expect Gordon to play LW.

Left-back is the big one. Does Howe stand by Dan Burn or select Tino Livramento? He’s shown faith in Burn and he may do again after four straight away wins with him in the side, but we’d be asking for trouble against Saka given Burn’s recent struggles to contain direct wingers with pace. For me, it just makes sense to go with Tino tonight.

Joe Willock has trained this week but will be on the bench. The question is, will Isak be fit enough to start, who will play out wide and could we see Tino finally come in at left-back?