Newcastle United are back in European action tonight, taking on Champions League newbies Union SG in our second of eight league phase games.

The 5.45pm kick-off will take place at Lotto Park, the home of Anderlecht, due to the USG’s usual stadium, Stade Joseph Marien, not meeting UEFA’s standards.

We are on the lookout for our first points of the campaign after losing 2-1 to Barcelona in our UCL opener two weeks ago, while Union SG got off to a flying start with an impressive 3-1 victory away to PSV.

But how will we line up? It’s not been easy to predict Eddie Howe’s ever-changing 11s of late, but this is what we think he’ll go for tonight and why…

Predicted XI

(4-3-3): Pope – Trippier, Schar, Burn, Hall – Bruno, Tonali, Joelinton – Elanga, Woltemade, Gordon.

OUT: Botman, Thiaw, Livramento and Murphy?

IN: Schar, Trippier, Hall and Elanga?

Starting in goal, Nick Pope may have cost us late on against Arsenal, but he also made two or three superb saves to keep us ahead, so I’m not convinced Aaron Ramsdale will take his place just yet.

The big dilemma comes at centre-back. I expect Kieran Trippier and Lewis Hall to take up the full-back slots with Tino Livramento ruled out, but Howe has Fabian Schar fit again and three other strong centre-back options in Dan Burn, Malick Thiaw and Sven Botman.

Personally, I’d like to see Thiaw and Botman’s mix of athleticism, power and ball-playing ability once again, but with Schar back after missing our last three and forming a strong partnership with Burn before his head injury, I think Howe may revert back to the experienced duo.

Thiaw was superb against Arsenal and could easily keep his place, but he’s nearly always partnered Botman, who has just started three games in eight days and may be rotated out of the side tonight and saved for Nottingham Forest on Sunday?

The midfield three picks itself once again and I think there’ll be one change in attack, with Anthony Elanga replacing Jacob Murphy to give us real pace in wide areas either side of Nick Woltemade; who needs better service and runners around him to make the most of his impressive link play.