Arsenal have been handed a potential advantage ahead of their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Newcastle United, with the Magpies set to be without key defender Fabian Schär.
The Swiss international is suspended for two matches following his latest booking, ruling him out of Newcastle’s matches against Tottenham and Arsenal.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe admitted the suspension creates a significant defensive headache, particularly given the continued uncertainty surrounding Sven Botman’s fitness.
Speaking after Newcastle’s recent match against Manchester United, Howe said, “Yeah, and the coincidence is he is now going to miss two games, the Carabao Cup game as well, so it is a big blow for us and for him.
“We are going to have to change our back line, which has been so stable for us in the middle of the pitch.”
Schär’s absence breaks up a successful partnership with Dan Burn, which has been crucial to Newcastle’s defensive solidity this season.
While Botman would have been the natural replacement, his recovery from injury has been hampered by illness, leaving Howe uncertain about his availability.
“Sven is getting there, yeah. He has had a period of training which we knew he needed. He has had a little bit of illness in the last few days, but he will get over that pretty quickly,” Howe explained.
The defensive disruptions come at a critical time for Newcastle, with the Carabao Cup semi-final offering a significant opportunity for silverware.
Arsenal, in contrast, will look to exploit these vulnerabilities as they aim to build an advantage at the Emirates on 7 January.
The match also marks the debut of in-stadium VAR announcements in English football, a trial set to run across both legs of this tie.
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