Arsenal v Newcastle United injury news as seven players ruled out and one doubtful

Arsenal and Newcastle United go head-to-head in a Premier League top-of-the-table clash tonight (kick-off 7:45pm) - and both teams are missing some senior players.

Beginning with the hosts, Mikel Arteta will be without key striker Gabriel Jesus and winger Reiss Nelson through long-term injuries.

Jesus, a £45million summer signing from Manchester City, suffered ligament damage during the World Cup with Brazil and is likely to be sidelined for up to four months.

Nelson, meanwhile, picked up a hamstring injury during a friendly with Juventus last month and is yet to be handed a return date.

“We don’t know the extent of the injury,” Arteta said. “The fact that he had to leave the pitch straight away is not good news, especially with someone like Reiss who is really powerful and fast.”

Emile Smith Rowe is nearing a return from a hamstring injury that has kept him sidelined since September. He wasn’t risked for the 4-2 win at Brighton and Hove Albion, suggesting he may also be left out for the visit of Newcastle.

Eddie Howe has been handed two fresh injury blows within the last week with Matt Targett and Jonjo Shelvey ruled out for the foreseeable future.

Targett has a heel issue and will be out for an unspecified period, while Shelvey is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks.

“He’s been managing it for a couple of months but it’s got to the point where it’s too painful for him to carry on,” Howe said on Targett.

“It’s disappointing, I think he’s going to be out for a period of time. We’re not 100 per cent sure how long at the moment but it’s a nasty injury.”

Alexander Isak, once a transfer target for Arsenal, is very close to a return to full training according to Howe.

The Sweden international hasn’t featured since September due to a thigh injury but Howe hopes to have him back available at some point this month.

“Whenever he’s fit and available, he’ll certainly come into my thinking then,” Howe said last week. “He would be like a new signing, a bit of a cliche, but he would be.

“We haven’t had him for a long period of time, so whenever he’s fit and available, he’ll come into our plans straight away. We need to make sure he is fit before exposing him to a match.

“We’re just going to have to judge it when he’s fit. I can look at games, and think ‘this game would be good for him’, but it all depends on how he feels, and if he’s ready to play.”

Emil Krafth (ACL) and Paul Dummett (back) remain unavailable.