Speaking to The Magpie Channel, Alan Shearer has backed Newcastle to end the season in 5th and named Kieran Trippier as the one Toon player he ‘would love’ to have played alongside.
With new UEFA rules creating the potential for a FIVE English teams to qualify for next year’s Champions League, he explains that 5th might be enough to get us in Europe’s elite competition once again.
He hopes we can finish higher, but insists this would still represent a “really good season” for the club as we bid to compete on four fronts over 2023/24.
As for the player he’d love to play alongside from our current XI, the Toon legend gave shoutouts to Joelinton and Miguel Almiron, but described Trippier as a ‘game changer’ whose crossing ability would be perfect for our former number nine.
Shearer also appreciates the fact that the right-back was the very first player to sign the club post-takeover, leaving Atletico Madrid to join Eddie’s Howe’s Mags mid relegation battle.
Asked for his prediction for the season, he said: “I had Newcastle finishing in 5th, which will probably be good enough to seal a Champions League spot, depending on how others do in Europe this year. That would be a really good season, but I hope I’m wrong – I hope we can finish a lot higher.”
Shearer then had this to say when asked for the one player he’d liked to have played with:
“I think there’s so many. The way Trippier gets up and down that wing and whips balls in, I would love to be on the end of a couple of his crosses.
“There’s been huge improvement from so many players. Almiron has been superb. Joelinton has been huge.
“But probably Trippier. He was the gamechanger. He was the first in to try and change things. And he’s had a good start.”
