Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe is keeping his fingers crossed that Alexander Isak will be fit to face Arsenal in Saturday lunchtime's Premier League encounter at St James' Park.

The Swede opened the scoring in Wednesday's 2-0 EFL Cup last-16 victory over Chelsea, but he had to be withdrawn just past the hour mark and looked a little bit worse for wear as he gingerly trudged off.

Howe is hopeful that the reported Arsenal target will be OK to line up on Saturday, but that is more than can be said for Jacob Murphy (hamstring), Jamaal Lascelles (knee), Sven Botman (knee), Kieran Trippier (thigh) and Callum Wilson (back).

Murphy sustained his problem just before the success over the Blues, but thankfully for Howe, Anthony Gordon made a quick recovery from a groin concern in time to start Wednesday's success.

The ex-Everton man could now switch wings and occupy his favoured left role, thereby demoting Arsenal youth product Joe Willock to the bench as Harvey Barnes comes back in on the right flank.

Neither Joelinton nor Sandro Tonali should be at risk of losing their spots in midfield, but Bruno Guimaraes - another player believed to be on Arsenal's radar - will certainly demote Sean Longstaff to the bench.

A pair of defensive alterations from midweek should also see Tino Livramento and Dan Burn replace Emil Krafth and Lloyd Kelly, but Fabian Schar, Lewis Hall and Nick Pope will all reprise their roles.

Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Pope; Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall; Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Barnes, Isak, Gordon

> Click here to see how Arsenal could line up for this match