Steve Bruce names 15 who won’t start so these 11 outfield options for Newcastle team v Rochdale

Who will be in the Newcastle team v Rochdale?

Ciaran Clark, Paul Dummett, Ki Sung Yeung, Jamaal Lascelles, Javier Manquillo, Allain Saint-Maximin, Fabian Schar, Jonjo Shelvey, and Jetro Willems were all ruled out of this Rochdale v Newcastle game.

Then Friday night/Saturday morning brought news that Andy Carroll is also injured (yet again), which makes it 10 definite absentees.

Steve Bruce had also already ruled out playing any senior player who had been left out of the official Premier League squad. Which meant no Jamie Sterry, Henri Saivet or Jack Colback, the latter now injured anyway.

Meanwhile, the Head Coach says Matt Ritchie might make the squad but it would be the bench at best.

On top of all of this, even Steve Bruce has admitted his stupidity at overplaying Florian Lejeune after eight months out, Bruce stating the French defender won’t start today.

That makes a total of 15 senior players who won’t be starting today.

Meanwhile, four young players were withdrawn from the Under 23 squad for Friday’s game against Fulham, which the young Magpies won 3-0.

So it is expected that Lewis Cass, Ludwig Francillette, Tom Allan and Elias Sorensen will all be named as substitutes.

Which then appears to leave these options for the Newcastle team v Rochdale:

Karl Darlow set to play in goal, with Martin Dubravka and Rob Elliot also available.

Then for the 10 outfield spots you have:

Miguel Almiron

Federico Fernandez

Isaac Hayden

Sean Longstaff

Joelinton

Dwight Gayle

DeAndre Yedlin

Matty Longstaff

Christian Atsu

Yoshinori Muto

Emil Krafth

If I had to guess at a team/formation then maybe…

Darlow in goal

Krafth, Fernandez and Hayden as the three centre-backs

Yedlin and Atsu as wing-backs

Longstaff brothers in centre midfield

Gayle through the middle with Muto and Joelinton out wide

Miguel Almiron maybe protected a bit and on the bench as a possible impact sub?