Arsenal: Leno, Cedric, Luiz, Mari, Tierney, Elneny, Willock, Pepe, Willian, Martinelli, Aubameyang.

Subs: Runarsson, Chambers, Maitland-Niles, Xhaka, Saka, Nelson, Smith Rowe, Nketiah, Lacazette.

TEAM-NEWS

HWTL ⚫️⚪️

Seven changes from West Brom...

⛔️ Cedric and David Luiz start
Elneny partners Willock
⚡️ Nico, Willian, Gabi, Auba in attack#EmiratesFACup

Related: Steve Bruce feels it 'morally wrong' for football to continue amid Covid-19

Referee Chris Kavanagh
Assistant Referees Dan Cook and Sian Massey-Ellis
Fourth Official Gavin Ward
VAR Andre Marriner

Allan Saint-Maximin (Covid), Jamal Lewis (knee) and Ryan Fraser (groin) remain sidelined for Newcastle, while Jamaal Lascelles is in line for a recall as he recovers from the delilitating effects of the Covid-19 virus, which has kept him out since November.

For Arsenal, Gabriel will miss out after testing positive for Covid, but Thomas Partey is expected to return from his latest injury set-back.

Holders Arsenal begin their defence of the FA Cup with what, on paper at least, looks like a reasonably straightforward home tie against a woefully out-of-sorts Newcastle.

In 15th place in the Premier League and on the slide, Newcastle are expected to make what are known in football parlance as “wholesale changes”, while it would be no surprise to see Mikel Arteta give some fringe players a run-out this evening.

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