Arsenal turn their attention to their quest to become Carabao Cup champions on Tuesday night when they take on Newcastle United in the first-leg of their semi-final tie.

The Gunners were held to a 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday in controversial fashion after referee Anthony Taylor awarded a penalty against William Saliba. It leaves them eight points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool following their win over Manchester United.

Mikel Arteta's men have little time to dwell on the dropped points down south as their Carabao Cup campaign continues. Newcastle visit the Emirates Stadium tomorrow before the second leg takes place at the start of February.

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With three league games following in the next 11 days, Arteta will have to manage his squad well to get maximum success. Here, football.london's writers have given their thoughts on the match.

Tom Canton

Arsenal need to get a good result here because taking anything other than a lead to St. James' Park is going to be very difficult indeed. Made worse is the fact that Ethan Nwaneri is also now injured and will be missing for a few weeks.

For me, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli both, therefore, will be on the flanks because, with other questions over illness, there are little in the way of alternatives. We do not know if Kai Havertz has recovered, or if Odegaard too is fit to play.

Lewis-Skelly comes into the side as well for me with Riccardo Calafiori being replaced. The return of Jurrien Timber is also something to cheer as the mood continues to be very low in many other aspects of the team; as Arteta said, only seven or eight players joined him for training.

Canton's Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Partey, Rice, Odegaard; Martinelli, Jesus, Trossard.

Josh Holland

Arsenal do not have the luxury of rotating their strongest XI completely on Tuesday night due to injuries. However, the schedule in January means Arteta will have to make some changes.

After starting the last two games on the bench, Myles Lewis-Skelly comes in at left-back with Riccardo Calafiori moving central to give William Saliba a much-needed rest. In midfield, Martin Odegaard will hopefully be over his illness to start alongside Declan Rice and Mikel Merino.

All being well, Martinelli is also fully recovered from illness and flanks Gabriel Jesus down the middle.

Holland's Arsenal XI: Raya; Partey, Gabriel, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Merino, Odegaard; Martinelli, Jesus, Trossard.