NEWCASTLE UNITED maintained their strong start to the Premier League season as they came from behind to claim a 2-1 victory over Wolves on Sunday afternoon.
Eddie Howe’s triple half-time substitution helped change the course of the game, with the successful alterations having given the Magpies boss a series of selection dilemmas ahead of this weekend’s trip to Fulham…
SHOULD BARNES START?
Harvey Barnes was Newcastle’s match winner at Molineux, curling home a brilliant long-range winner after coming on at the start of the second half.
The winger had impressed in the home win over Tottenham that preceded the international break, scoring the opening goal with a slick first-time finish, but still found himself dropped to the bench against Wolves, with Howe opting to restore Jacob Murphy to the starting line-up.
Surely, after his second-half heroics, Barnes will start at Craven Cottage on Saturday? The problem is that both he and Anthony Gordon would ideally like to be stationed on the left-hand side, enabling them to cut in, in the manner of Sunday’s winner.
Gordon was moved to the right-hand side for the Spurs game, and while the England international didn’t look quite as effective on the opposite flank, that might be a compromise that has to be repeated at Fulham.
WHO SHOULD BE THE MIDFIELD THREE?
In all four of Newcastle’s league games so far, Howe has started with Sean Longstaff, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton as his midfield three.
In part, that was because he didn’t really have any alternative options with Sandro Tonali building up his match fitness and Joe Willock unavailable because of injury.
The situation has changed now though, with Tonali looking sharp after a couple of substitute appearances and a start in the Carabao Cup and Willock having proved his wellbeing after stepping off the bench against Wolves.
Newcastle’s midfield unit looked much more threatening with Tonali and Willock on the field in the second half, and the pair must have a good chance of making the starting line-up at the weekend. That would almost certainly mean Longstaff and Joelinton dropping out of the starting side, with the pair having been taken off at the break during Sunday’s win.
IS IT TIME TO GET TRIPPIER BACK IN THE SIDE?
Having lost his place in the starting line-up to Tino Livramento, Kieran Trippier has been restricted to a couple of substitute appearances in the Premier League and a start in the Carabao Cup this season.
He remains an extremely influential figure though, both on and off the pitch, and his appearance as a 64th-minute substitute at the weekend, replacing Livramento, helped Newcastle shore things up defensively as they staged their successful comeback in the final 15 minutes.
Would Newcastle be more solid if Trippier was in the starting line-up? Possibly, although Livramento has done well so far this season, offering a reasonable amount of attacking threat down the right-hand side while also keeping things fairly tight at the back.
It has been on the opposite flank where Newcastle have looked more vulnerable, with Lewis Hall’s defensive frailties occasionally leaving him exposed. While Hall looked pretty good going forward against Wolves, the vast majority of the home side’s best attacking moves came down his flank.
Trippier has played as a left-back for club and country while Livramento’s versatility was cited as one of his key strengths when Newcastle signed him – might Howe consider switching one of his right-backs to the opposite flank?
WHO PLAYS UP FRONT IF ISAK IS MISSING?
Newcastle’s medical staff will spend the next couple of days assessing the eye problem that forced Alexander Isak to miss the second half at Molineux. The hopes is that the issue is not serious, but at this stage, it remains unclear whether the Swede will be available to face Fulham.
If he isn’t, there is a slight chance Callum Wilson might be able to replace him. However, Howe admitted Wilson was yet to resume training when he spoke to the press last Friday, so even if the striker is passed fit to step up his recovery from a back problem this week, it is very unlikely he would be asked to start on Saturday.
Is William Osula ready to step in? The summer signing from Sheffield United is available, but the fact he remained an unused substitute on Sunday despite Isak being unable to feature in the second half suggests Howe does not think he is ready for Premier League action.
That probably means Gordon would have to deputise as a central striker, having filled the role during the second half against Wolves. Gordon can play through the middle – he helped England Under-21s win the Euros playing as a false nine – but does his effectiveness diminish if he is moved infield? At this stage, the jury remains out.
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