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Arsenal Vs Newcastle United: Predicted starting XI – Lucas Torreira, anyone?

By Andrew Dowdeswell

CARDIFF, WALES - SEPTEMBER 02: Lucas Torreira of Arsenal sits on the bench before the Premier League match between Cardiff City and Arsenal FC at Cardiff City Stadium on September 2, 2018 in Cardiff, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
CARDIFF, WALES - SEPTEMBER 02: Lucas Torreira of Arsenal sits on the bench before the Premier League match between Cardiff City and Arsenal FC at Cardiff City Stadium on September 2, 2018 in Cardiff, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Shkodran Mustafi
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 12: Shkodran Mustafi of Arsenal in action during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on August 12, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /

Centre-backs

The back four is becoming increasingly settled. That does not mean that it is becoming an especially solid or reliable unit. Arsenal are yet to keep a clean sheet and have conceded two or more goals in three of the four matches this season. But it does make predicting who Emery will play this weekend a far simpler task.

At centre-back, it will again be Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos. The pair have played every minute of the season thus far and are gradually growing in step with one another. There are problems, for sure, but the more they play together, the better they should get.

In this fixture, their primary task will be their work with the ball and against the counter-attack. Can they play out from the back? Can they provide forward passes into the final third? Will they be exposed by Newcastle on the break? I guess we’ll just have to find out.