Newcastle look to dampen Arsenal’s Premier League top four dreams, following their loss to Spurs

With next season’s Champions League hanging in the balance, Eddie Howe’s Newcastle will be looking to slow the Gunners’ top four hopes.

Anything but a win will keep Arsenal’s North London rivals, Tottenham, in fourth place going into the final matchday. Newcastle will look to recover from back-to-back defeats from Liverpool and Manchester City to occupy 12^th.

Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson have returned to full training, following the duo getting substituted on in the 68^th minute in the 5-0 loss to City.

The Magpies will be without midfielders Jonjo Shelvey and Joe Willock, with a calf and knee injury respectively, while Arsenal will miss Rob Holding, who received a red card in the North London derby last week.

With fellow centre-backs Ben White and Gabriel also doubts, Mikel Arteta has said: “We will have to modify certain position to try to make it work.

“Even though we have academy players, they haven’t experienced a lot of these positions because they’re not specified central defenders.”

The 3-0 loss Arsenal suffered at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium followed four back-to-back wins, but they were leapfrogged by their rivals who now occupy the coveted 4^th spot in the Premier League.

Having lost nine out of nine against the top six this season, and losing 18 of their last 19 against Arsenal, Eddie Howe recognises this is a big test for his side.

“I think there is a definite gap between us and the top sides, but we’re not fazed by that, we’re not surprised by that. I think that’s where we are at the moment.

“We have to figure out a way of being more competitive in those games, and picking up points.”