According to the Chronicle, there’s a ‘strong chance’ Matty Longstaff will make his senior debut for Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup next week.
The club have vowed to take cup competitions seriously this season – we’ll need to if we want to get past Leicester City – and it looks like Matty will get his big chance to impress Steve Bruce at senior level.
The 19-year-old was one of our most consistent performers at U-23 level last season, however he now finds himself in Bruce’s first-team squad after catching the eye over pre-season.
Not only did he put in a tidy and energetic first-half display in our game at Preston, he made an immediate impact from the bench in our final summer friendly against St Etienne, smashing a 25-yard shot in off the bar just seconds after coming on at St James’ Park.
Many expected him to still go out on loan this summer, but Lee Ryder’s latest piece reveals that we turned down loan offers from Bradford City and Falkirk in recent weeks – suggesting Bruce has every intention to include him in his first team plans over the coming months.
I expect us to field a strong side against Leicester, but it would not surprise me if Matty Longstaff is joined in the starting line up by the likes of Krafth, Muto, Willems, Fernandez and Ki, while Allan Saint-Maximin may also make his first competitive start for the club.
but but but… Steve the Cabbage has already said that we will be playing our strongest team and that we will try to win the cups because its a nice day out.
Ian Cusack(Quote)