Newsletter

Get your daily update and weekly newsletter by signing up today!

Opinion

Predicted Newcastle team v Liverpool has five changes

3 years ago
Share

Looking ahead to Wednesday night’s Newcastle team v Liverpool.

Steve Bruce comes into this game on the back of some really poor performances in the festive period against Brentford, Leeds and Fulham, whilst the defeat at Man City was spirited but lacking in any attacking / goal threat whatsoever.

Now we have a home match against Liverpool to round off 2020.

We got a fair bit of guidance from the Steve Bruce pre-match press conference, as to which players would and wouldn’t be available for this Newcastle team v Liverpool.

Callum Wilson is definitely expected to be available to start after having had an ankle knock that helped keep him out of the Man City match.

Not so positive was Steve Bruce indicating that as well as Lascelles and Saint-Maximin definitely missing, Fraser, Dummett and Hendrick also look set to sit it out.

Jonjo Shelvey though, look very likely to be available, Bruce saying he’d had a groin problem but the midfielder pictured in group training since not being involved at the Etihad.

In more positive news though, Javier Manquillo continues to train and was on the bench at Man City, whilst Fabian Schar played the full 90 minutes on Saturday.

Also involved in the NUFC first squad training these days, Martin Dubravka also featuring heavily in the training shots and no surprise if he is back in the 18 man squad very soon, possibly tonight.

The Newcastle team and subs v Man City were:

Darlow, Yedlin, Schar, Fernandez, Clark, Ritchie, Hayden, Matty Longstaff, Murphy, Almiron, Joelinton (Gillespie, Carroll, Gayle, Lewis, Krafth, Manquillo, Sean Longstaff, Elliot Anderson, Wilson)

Even if Dubravka is back in the squad this time, it would be a massive shock if Darlow doesn’t continue, the keeper having had his seventh man of the match display in the last eight games, when Newcastle fans did their player ratings on The Mag.

Providing no ill effects and in the absence of Lascelles, Steve Bruce will surely continue with Fernandez, Schar and Clark as three centre-backs.

Lewis probably coming in for Ritchie, whilst depending on his fitness / recover, Manquillo could do the same on the right, Yedlin continuing probably if the Spaniard isn’t ready.

Isaac Hayden is one booking away from a ban and so that might help to decide on him getting a rest tonight, whilst it surely makes sense giving Jonjo Shelvey a bit extra time to make sure his groin issue is fully recovered. He hasn’t played particularly well either and with workrate set to be top of the agenda tonight no doubt, plenty of reasons to probably overlook him.

I think it could be a rare game for the Longstaff brothers to play together. Matty was one of the better players at the Etihad and maybe playing alongside his brother, can help kickstart Sean into a bit of better form.

Callum Wilson looks sure to start up front and so we are looking at the players expected to try and give him the main support.

Almiron, Joelinton and Murphy were the three furthest forward to play at Man City.

Like most fans I would guess, I am hoping that Steve Bruce considers playing Dwight Gayle as well as Wilson. Both of them work hard defensively and with Liverpool missing their frontline centre-backs, just maybe this pair could cause some damage if given the opportunity.

Almiron is my other bet to stay in the team and do plenty of chasing back, plus hopefully help provide some attacking support.

Making the predicted Newcastle team v Liverpool look something like this:

Whilst Liverpool hammered Palace 7-0 at Selhurst Park in their last away game, they previously could only draw at Brighton and Fulham, plus it ended 1-1 at Anfield in their last match against West Brom, so no reason to think a positive result isn’t possible. However, that trio of clubs all had to produce a goal to get a draw and very difficult to see it ending goalless tonight.

Share

If you would like to feature on The Mag, submit your article to contribute@themag.co.uk

Have your say

© 2024 The Mag. All Rights Reserved. Design & Build by Mediaworks