The United States forward, who has joined the club for a 10-week period, only began training with the club at the start of this week.

Although manager David Moyes is reluctant to pitch him in to a tough test at the Emirates Stadium, the options he has open to him may mean the Los Angeles Galaxy star gets a place on the bench.

Striker Louis Saha has not played since Boxing Day because of a hamstring problem and is not expected to feature.

Provisional squad: Howard, Heitinga, Baines, Neill, Hibbert, Bilyaletdinov, Vaughan, Cahill, Neville, Fellaini, Pienaar, Osman, Yakubu, Donovan, Nash, Baxter, Agard, Coleman, Duffy.