After last night’s impressive 1-0 win over Atalanta, Newcastle play their second home game in as many days against Athletic Bilbao today.
It was quite telling that a host of first-team stars weren’t in the squad yesterday, with Eddie Howe clearly saving a host of key players for today’s clash with the La Liga side.
The likes of Almiron, Schar, Burn, Trippier, Targett, Anderson, S Longstaff and Pope all got 90 minutes last night, while Saint-Maximin, Botman, Lascelles, Krafth, Dummett, Joelinton, Willock, Wilson and Guimaraes weren’t in the squad, with a host of U21 talents named on the bench instead.
With that in mind, we feel pretty certain the following side will start against the Spaniards in today’s 3pm kick off on Tyneside:
(4-3-3): Dubravka – Krafth, Lascelles, Botman, Dummett – Willock, Guimaraes, Joelinton – Ritchie, Wilson, Saint-Maximin.
Jonjo Shelvey (hamstring) has been ruled out alongside Federico Fernandez, Jamal Lewis and Javier Manquillo, but Joelinton is back from a ban and looks set to start alongside Bruno.
Martin Dubravka appears to have recovered from a wrist injury – he was not mentioned during Howe’s latest injury update – so he should get the nod above Karl Darlow
Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles just makes sense after Burn and Schar got 90 minutes last night, with Emil Krafth and Paul Dummett likely to start in the full-back slots.
Matty Bondswell could share minutes with Dummett after impressing against Benfica, but I’d be surprised if the Geordie defender didn’t start.
Joe Willock should play – alongside Bruno and big Joe – after Longstaff, Anderson and Almiron played in a midfield three against Atalanta, while Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson will also come in after rests.
Out on the right, we’ve often seen Fraser, Murphy or Almiron get minutes, but all three played 90 minutes last night, meaning Matt Ritchie seems a good bet to start out wide – as he has done in a couple of friendlies so far this summer.
I know we don’t know the subs yet but I hope Bondswell is involved in some way or another
Sharpy17(Quote)
Ritchie on the right wing seems a bit pointless, unless Howe is hedging his bets in case we can’t get a winger in and he doesn’t want to have to rely on Murphy.
Playing Wilson is also pushing our luck a bit. I’d have him just running up and down the side of the pitch with a bib on. Save him for the Forest game, just to be on the safe side.
Daveys **** mate(Quote)