Arsenal handed £34m injury boost v Newcastle United - three more players could return

Arsenal have been handed an injury boost ahead of Saturday night's Premier League fixture at home to Newcastle United.

Mikel Arteta's men lost the first leg of their two-legged Champions League last 16 clash against Porto on Wednesday but were encouraged by the return of midfielder Fabio Vieira. The 23-year-old had been ruled out since November with a groin injury but was named on the bench in midweek as his former club won 1-0 following Galeno's 94th-minute winner.

Meanwhile, the Gunners could welcome back Takehiro Tomiyasu, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus in time for the visit of Newcastle.

Speaking before the Porto game, Arteta said: "The update is that some of them have been progressing better than others. We have a training session today [Friday]. Some of them have done a few bits this week.

"I’m positive that hopefully we’re gonna get a few back for tomorrow. At the moment, no [not ruled out]."

Although the Gunners suffered the disappointment of losing in Portugal, their Premier League form has been scintillating of late with five straight wins. And their clinical edge in front of goal may spark fear into the Magpies' leaky defence having beat West Ham United 6-0 and Burnley 5-0 in recent weeks.

Arsenal are third in the top-flight table, five points off leaders Liverpool and 18 ahead of Newcastle, who have already conceded 17 goals in 2024. Eddie Howe's side, however, have found the net 16 times this year, bettered only by Liverpool and Arsenal.

The previous meeting between the two sides ended in a dramatic 1-0 win to United at St James' Park while last year's encounter at the Emirates ended 0-0.