Arsenal duo Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe after both unlikely to feature in Sunday’s game at St James’ Park, according to reports.
As per the Daily Mail, as cited on the Express, the French striker is facing a battle to prove his fitness, while Pepe is not believed to be ready to make his domestic debut.
After joining from Lille, Pepe has been training with his new team-mates, but his absence could be a major boost for Steve Bruce’s side.
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This could be pivotal in deciding Sunday’s result and with Arsenal missing two key attackers, this will certainly add to some of the belief on Tyneside that an upset is on the cards.
After the nightmare result against Wolves, Newcastle have built on that and enjoyed a relatively successful pre-season.
The additions of Joelinton and Allan Saint-Maximin have got plenty of supporters excited and even after the tricky summer, there is a buzz surrounding the club once more with the new campaign edging closer.
It would be a major scalp for Newcastle to pick up three points in their first game of the season, but any points on the board from the clash with Arsenal would be considered a success and a great platform for Bruce to build upon in the coming months.
