EDDIE HOWE knows what his best Newcastle United XI looks like on paper. He will no longer continue picking it, though, unless a number of the club’s big-name performers start delivering on the pitch.

Having spent much of the last week reviewing his side’s first defeat of the season at Fulham last weekend, Howe has doubled down on his initial assessment of performance levels at Craven Cottage.

“We didn’t like ourselves,” was the Magpies manager’s blunt appraisal of the 3-1 loss, and with champions Manchester City rolling into St James’ Park tomorrow, Howe pulled no punches when he spoke to his squad earlier this week to spell out the need for a marked improvement.

Anthony Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes have been under the microscope for their below-par displays so far this season, with Joelinton also having been heavily criticised for his failure to hit his usual standards. All three are key performers under Howe, and all three are expected to start against City. If performances do not improve, however, they have been told they are far from indispensable.

“The issue for me is that, given a blank sheet of paper, if you say, ‘Go on, write down what your best team is”, I don’t think that would be difficult for me,” explained Howe. “The problem is, you have to justify your selection, so those players have to be in their best moment and best form.

“What you can’t do is pick that team if it doesn’t deserve to play. I’m a big believer in rewarding people that are playing well. I’m a big believer in there’s no set team, everyone has to earn their place.

“If you’re not earning your place, you can’t play. So, we’re in that moment, early season, where players haven’t been in their best form. It’s difficult to pick players if they’re not playing continually well. I’m at that stage now where I’m going to have to make some difficult decisions, I think.”

While there have been a number of flaws in Newcastle’s early-season displays, the most notable difference between performances so far this term and the majority of matches under Howe is the lack of the kind of aggression and energy that made the Magpies such a potent force as they qualified for the Champions League two seasons ago.

‘Intensity is our identity’ was the mantra back then, but that intensity has been sorely lacking so far this season, with Newcastle’s aggressive high press notable only by its absence. Opponents have been able to settle into possession, with Newcastle’s players either unable or unwilling to deliver the kind of energy and commitment that Howe has previously regarded as a given. Tactics and personnel are clearly important, but their significance diminishes dramatically if you’re not prepared to do the basics of running and closing down.

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“There’s definitely been no shift in what we want,” said Howe. “Far from it. We want to step it up and improve it. There’s no part of us that is trying to retreat and become more reactive rather than proactive.

“But if you look at our ability to do what we want to do, then it hasn’t been of the levels it’s been in previous years, and there’s been a whole multitude of reasons for that.

“It’s not maybe as simple as people think. And of course I’ve been trying to manage that, behind the scenes, with the squad. Longer term, I’ve got no doubts that we will get back to that style, and very quickly is, of course, the ideal.”

The problem this weekend, of course, is that Newcastle will be attempting to deliver an improvement while lining up against the best team in the country.

Manchester City might be without Rodri, with Kevin de Bruyne also expected to remain on the sidelines, but they remain a potent force, as highlighted by their position at the top of the table.

Newcastle have experienced a number of what Howe described as ‘nearly games’ against Pep Guardiola’s side in the league in recent seasons, losing 3-2 in January after leading with 16 minutes left and drawing 3-3 in the previous season after leading 3-1.

City have rarely had a comfortable time of it on Tyneside, with Howe once again intending to play on the front foot tomorrow.

“We have to carry a threat,” he said. “We have to be an attacking force in the game and we have to be brave with the ball. You can’t forget about their qualities because they’re an outstanding team, but we have to be that attacking force in the game and not forget what we’re good at. That’s absolutely crucial.”