Arsenal will be looking to bounce back from their Champions League heartache and aid their pursuit of second when they face Newcastle United on Saturday.
It was a familiar European tale for the Gunners this week as they valiantly attempted to overturn a first-leg deficit in a last-16 tie, and fell agonisingly short.
Goals from Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey in France earned Arsenal a 2-0 victory, but the Premier League side were made to pay for conceding three in the reverse fixture as they crashed out to AS Monaco on away goals.
It is the fifth time in as many years that Arsene Wenger and his team have been eliminated at this stage of the competition, and is doubly disappointing considering that they were in the rare position of being favourites to progress.
However, all is not lost for the FA Cup semi-finalists, whose run of 12 wins in 13 domestic games since New Year's Day leaves them still challenging on two fronts as the season approaches its climax.
A convincing 3-0 London derby victory over West Ham United in their last league outing sent them to within a point of second-placed Manchester City in the Premier League table, and only seven behind leaders Chelsea.
Wenger has said that the Blues, who have a game in hand, are too far out of Arsenal's sights, but runners-up remains an achievable target and would represent the club's highest finish since the 2004-05 campaign.
Rolling over for Everton at Goodison Park last weekend demonstrated how little that Newcastle have left to play for, with the Magpies 11th in the standings and involved in neither the relegation or European fights.
Interim manager John Carver's job has been made all the more difficult by a crippling absentee list which he claims leaves him with only 13 fit senior players for Arsenal's visit to St James' Park.
Papiss Cisse and Fabricio Coloccini are suspended and Steven Taylor, Paul Dummett, Siem de Jong, Rolando Aarons, Rob Elliot, Cheick Tiote, Mehdi Abeid and Massadio Haidara are all sidelined by injury.
A patched-up defence may see Daryl Janmaat asked to deputise centrally and Ryan Taylor and Jack Colback occupy the full-back roles. Ayoze Perez and Remy Cabella are poised for recalls further upfield.
One positive to come out of this for Newcastle could be a first start in over 18 months for Jonas Gutierrez. The cancer survivor made his popular comeback off the bench in the defeat to Manchester United earlier this month.
Wenger may revert to the majority of the team which beat West Ham, with Calum Chambers, Ramsey and Theo Walcott, who has played a major role in Arsenal's recent dominance over the Magpies, all being recalled.
There could also be a start at left-back for Kieran Gibbs at the expense of Nacho Monreal. January signing Gabriel Paulista is back in contention, but neither Jack Wilshere or Tomas Rosicky are likely to be risked in midfield.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mikel Arteta and former Newcastle full-back Mathieu Debuchy will all definitely miss out as the visitors go in search of a seventh successive win against their opponents in all competitions.
Newcastle:
Form in Premier League: DDLWLL
Possible starting lineup: Krul; Taylor, Janmaat, Williamson, Colback; Gutierrez, Sissoko; Ameobi, Cabella, Perez; Riviere
Arsenal:
Form in Premier League: LWWWWW
Form in all competitions: LWWWWW
Possible starting lineup: Ospina; Chambers, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Coquelin, Ramsey; Ozil, Sanchez, Walcott; Giroud
Sports Mole says: 1-3
No Data Analysis info
