ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE and Nicolas Pepe are both expected to be available for Arsenal's opening Premier League game at Newcastle United on Sunday.

Lacazette injured his ankle in Arsenal's recent defeat to Lyon in the Emirates Cup, and was not involved as the Gunners lost their final pre-season friendly at Barcelona last night.

However, while the Frenchman was seen wearing a protective boot in the wake of the Lyon game, Arsenal boss Unai Emery is hopeful he will be able to line up at St James' Park this weekend.

Emery said: "It's a process, but hopefully he could be available for the match against Newcastle. The doctors, they are optimistic, but we are going to wait.

"The next days are going to be very important to see how he is going to progress with his injury. But I am really, really happy with other players also.

"If he is ready for Sunday, perfect. If he isn’t, then for the next. We need now to have a very competitive team, with the players ready for the next matches but above all to create a mentality to start strong and find our best performance in the next match."

Pepe, a club-record £72m signing from Lille, was also absent from Arsenal's 2-1 defeat in the Nou Camp, with Emery wanting to give him as long a break as possible following his international exertions with Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations.

The attacker will train with the rest of Arsenal's first-team group this week, and is set to feature in the squad that travels to Tyneside at the weekend.

Emery said: "We are going to train together and each day for him and for us is information we can save. We hope he can be (available) for this match (at Newcastle)."