Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini could play after a minor ankle injury.
Alexis Sanchez remains out but is nearing a first-team return, while Jack Wilshire and Santi Cazorla are amongst a host of other absentees.
Newcastle will be without midfielder Vernon Anita due to a hamstring injury.
Goalkeeper Rob Elliot is battling to be fit after a stomach bug and Rolando Aarons and Emmanuel Riviere are both back in training but, like Arsenal, the Magpies’ injury list remains lengthy.
Editor’s Note: Arsenal are now at the Premier League summit after a comfortable win at home to Bournemouth and will be looking for more of the same against fellow strugglers Newcastle this afternoon.
After their Boxing Day thrashing away at Southampton. Arsene Wenger’s men replied in the best possible fashion. Although the final score was only 2-0 it could and should have been a lot more were it not for some wasteful finishing.
In Mesut Ozil they have the form player in the league right now but for all his creativity in the No.10 role The Gunners do have to make sure it isn’t all for nothing as chances and subsequently points go begging in the race for the title.
They go up against a Newcastle side who have lost their last two matches 1-o and both to relatively late goals. Steve McClaren is going to have his work cut out this afternoon if his Newcastle side are going to get any thing out if the game.
It’s been poor finishing that has let the Magpies down ovethe Xmas period with Alexsandar Mitrovic being the main culprit. When you’re at that end of the table you can’t afford to spurn that many chances, then again that probably explains why they are at that end of the table.
Today I can’t see anything other than a Home win md Newcastle won’t have a repeat of their last trip to North London when they beat Tottenham a few weeks ago. Gunners win and stay top for me