Toon youngster Nile Ranger, a 17-year-old striker who has suddenly appeared from nowhere, may be involved at Arsenal.

Kevin Keegan has asked Newcastle United supporters to reserve their judgment after James Milner's £12 million move to Aston Villa, as his threadbare squad goes to Arsenal.

Such is the nature of the crisis, Keegan's squad has Joey Barton as a substitute for the first time since his release from prison, but he remains optimistic that the mood on Tyneside will have lifted by the end of the transfer window.