Zubimendi Starts as Arsenal Face Newcastle in Pre-Season Clash

Martin Zubimendi made his Arsenal debut last time out against AC Milan (Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Mikel Arteta has shuffled his pack for Sunday's pre-season friendly against Newcastle United. In action on Wednesday evening at the National Stadium in Singapore as the Gunners beat AC Milan 1-0 , the Spaniard made multiple changes in the second half to ensure the vast majority of his players got a good amount of minutes in the tank.

Arteta has switched things about for their second friendly of the summer, with new signing Martin Zubimendi starting for the very first time. Myles Lewis-Skelly also comes into the starting XI from last time out and the same goes for Mikel Merino and Leandro Trossard.

New Arsenal signing Cristhian Mosquera is not in the squad following his move from Valencia that was officially completed on Thursday. The game has come too late for Viktor Gyokeres to feature after finally completing his big-money transfer from Sporting CP late on Saturday night.

Gyokeres is in attendance for today's friendly, though, as he will be watching his new teammates from the sidelines for the very first time . The Swede is set to be introduced to the crowd at 7.15pm (12.15pm UK) ahead of the game and he is sure to receive a warm welcome from the fans inside the National Stadium.

"Jurrien is getting very close. He's almost ticked every box after the surgery and the period of rehab he needed. I think in the next few days he is going to start joining the team again."

Here is the Arsenal team to take on Newcastle United:

Confirmed Arsenal team: Raya, White, Saliba, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly; Merino, Zubimendi, Nwaneri; Trossard, Saka, Havertz.

Substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Setford, Rojas-Fedorushchenko, Nichols, Salmon, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Norgaard, Lokonga, Copley, Rice, Dowman, Odegaard, Kabia, Nelson, Martinelli, Harriman-Annous.