{"id":503264,"date":"2019-08-10T04:00:22","date_gmt":"2019-08-10T08:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonfootball.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=503264"},"modified":"2019-08-09T19:17:02","modified_gmt":"2019-08-09T23:17:02","slug":"nicolas-pepe-arsenal-stars-newcastle-united","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2019\/08\/10\/nicolas-pepe-arsenal-stars-newcastle-united\/","title":{"rendered":"Nicolas Pepe Among Arsenal New Boys Set to Miss Out Against Newcastle United"},"content":{"rendered":"

Arsenal<\/a> and Newcastle United<\/a> will face off at St. James’ Park in their first match of the new season. Despite signing several first-team players in the transfer window, the Gunners will have a smaller than usual squad at their disposal, including the likely absence of Nicolas Pepe.<\/p>\n

Arsenal Face Newcastle United Without Nicolas Pepe and Other New Boys<\/h2>\n

Team News<\/h3>\n

Both Rob Holding<\/a> and Hector Bellerin<\/a> will miss this match and likely the month of August. The duo are both still recovering from cruciate ligament injuries. Alexandre Lacazette<\/a> is also doubtful after picking up an ankle injury in the International Champions Cup.<\/p>\n

Arsenal’s marquee signing of the summer, Nicolas Pepe, is not expected to participate. Both he and Mohamed Elneny<\/a> returned late to preseason due to the African Cup of Nations.<\/p>\n

New signing Kieran Tierney<\/a> was signed with a groin injury he sustained in pre-season at Celtic. The club anticipate he will integrate into full first-team training in four to six weeks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

All of this means that Unai Emery will have to make do without several first-team players.<\/p>\n

The Opposition<\/h3>\n

Newcastle enter this season on a low. Rafa Benitez could not be convinced to stay and now Steve Bruce has been appointed as manager. To rub salt in the wound, both Salomon Rondon<\/a> and Ayoze Perez<\/a> have also left the club.<\/p>\n

To replace the strikers, Toon have signed Joelinton from Hoffenheim and Andy Carroll<\/a> on a free transfer. Joelinton is a bit of an unknown quantity in England, making his signing a gamble of sorts.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, fans of both clubs are well-acquainted with Carroll and know that he is not cut from the same cloth as either Rondon or Perez.<\/p>\n

Newcastle are, therefore, underdogs on the day and a candidate to battle relegation this season.<\/p>\n

Prediction<\/h3>\n

Arsenal are without several first-team players they would ideally like to have in the team. Plus, they have been poor away from home for a few years now. However, they face a club who are in crisis to a degree.<\/p>\n

Therefore, this match will be tight and should only be decided by one goal with plenty of nail-biting from both sets of supporters.<\/p>\n

Prediction: Newcastle United 1-2 Arsenal<\/strong><\/p>\n

Main Photo
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>