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This Newcastle team v Burnley after injury and fitness update – Picks itself?

4 years ago
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All eyes are now on the Newcastle team v Burnley.

Steve Bruce and his players facing the Clarets, hoping to keep their run of results going, having picked up 13 points in the last six games.

A bit of recovery time this week after two games less than 72 hours apart produced two wins against Sheffield United and Southampton.

Steve Bruce was asked about the injury/fitness situation on Friday morning ahead of Burnley:

“We have got a few out.

“Clark, Ritchie, Lascelles, Saint-Maximin and Ki are all out.

“We’ve got a couple of question marks over Almiron and Shelvey so we will see how they are today [Friday].

“Jonjo Shelvey has a bit of a sore calf and Miguel Almiron has a tight hamstring.

“We will see how they are today and we will make a judgement on them after training [on Friday].

“I don’t think you can take that risk with muscle injuries.

“If they are struggling with it and they pull up and are out for a month or six weeks then we will all look stupid so we will err on the side of caution.”

Taking all of that into account, I have came up with this team selection below.

Martin Dubravka is a no-brainer and with Willems and Manquillo as wing-backs, it makes sense to go with Dummett, Schar and Fernandez in the absence of Lascelles and Clark.

Lejeune is back in the squad but after eight months out, surely bench at best.

With concerns on Shelvey, it makes no sense at all to play him, so Sean Longstaff alongside Hayden.

Similarly, don’t risk Almiron.

Steve Bruce has hinted at playing Joelinton on the left where he played for Hoffenheim, so for me, then put Carroll through the middle and Gayle on the right.

Gayle and Joelinton both have good work ethics and will track back.

Maybe a bit rough on Atsu but Burnley are a physical team so having a few bigger units included, won’t do any harm either.

The above gives me this choice of Newcastle team v Burnley:

Newcastle travel to Burnley and face a team with six defeats in the last eight matches, so a match where there is everything to play for.

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