Welcome to Newcastle United versus Arsenal at St James Park, where John Carver's side go into this game in the midst of an injury crisis. With just 13 senior outfield players to choose from and Papiss Cisse and Fabricio Coloccini suspended, Magpies fans will be fearing the worst against an Arsenal side who have won their last six games in all competitions.

Taylor overhits a backpass to Krul, who has to control the ball on his chest before hammering it out for a throw.

The early signs are very promising as Giroud is found inside the Newcastle area but his lay-off is picked up by Sissoko who breaks at pace. He feeds the ball to Perez who cuts into the area but has his shot blocked away.

Arsenal kick-off and we are underway!

The players are out and kick-off is just a couple of minutes away.

So what's at stake for the sides today? With Liverpool and Manchester United playing tomorrow, a win for Arsenal would strengthen their hold on a top-four place and keep them just one point behind Manchester City in second spot. For Newcastle, reaching the 40-point mark will still be a priority. They are on 35 points right now, so a couple more wins will be a minimum requirement.

How will Newcastle's makeshift defence get on? The fans seem... confident.

Newcastle fans will be hoping that their patched-up side can still cause a surprise, especially if Arsenal are tired after the draining 2-0 win over Monaco on Tuesday night.

With Paul Dummett and Steven Taylor out through injury and Fabricio Coloccini suspended after his red card against Everton last weekend, Newcastle are forced into playing right back Daryl Janmaat in the middle of defence. How will he fare against the in-form Olivier Giroud, who has scored six and assisted three in his last eight Premier League appearances?

Mesut Ozil misses out altogether today with an illness, meaning Santi Cazorla will take up a more attacking role in the midfield. There's plenty of pace either side of him, with Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck taking up the wide roles in attack. Once again, Theo Walcott has to settle for a place on the bench.

So it's three changes each, with Vernon Anita in for the suspended Fabricio Coloccini, Remy Cabella replacing Gabriel Obertan and Ayoze Perez starting in attach in place of Riviere.

NEWCASTLE UNITED: Krul, R.Taylor, Janmaat, Williamson, Colback, Anita, Sissoko, Cabella, Gouffran, Ameobi, Perez.. Sub: Elliot, Satka, Kemen, Gutierrez, Obertan, Armstrong, Riviere.

///ARSENAL: Ospina, Chambers, Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Ramsey, Alexis, Cazorla, Welbeck, Giroud... Subs: Szczesny, Gibbs, Mertesacker, Bellerin, Flamini, Rosicky, Walcott.