Newcastle United: Elias Sørensen deserves a chance with the first team

Elias Sørensen is in top form with the Under-23 squad and he could help Newcastle United avoid relegation this season.

Elias Sørensen currently plays for Newcastle United’s Under-23 squad and he is enjoying a great run of form with 12 goals this season. Rafa Benitez recently stated that he will not promote any youngsters from the Under-23s to the first team, but the Spaniard should really consider altering his stance when it comes to the 19-year-old from Denmark.

With two hat-tricks already this season, Sørensen is lighting up the Premier League 2 and his goals are a major reason why the young Magpies are enjoying positive results. Of course, the level of competition in the Premier League 2 does not come close to the intensity and skills required to succeed in the Premier League, but Sørensen has the potential to be a solid substitute for Newcastle against most opponents.

Sørensen over Joselu?

With Salomon Rondon and Yoshinori Muto serving as Newcastle’s primary strikers this season, Sørensen would, realistically, spend most of his time on the bench. However, I think it is fair to assume that the young Dane would not have the same experience as Sean Longstaff who gets no playing time.

Unlike Longstaff who has to compete with several players for a chance to play in midfield, Sørensen’s main rival for playing time would be Joselu. The Spaniard has an admirable work ethic when he is on the field, but he lacks confidence and precision in front of goal. Joselu’s main attribute is his height which can cause problems in the penalty area on set pieces, but everyone knows he is not a Top Flight striker.

Sørensen is just as tall as Joselu, but he boasts more strength and athleticism. The 19-year-old striker is not a flashy player, but he is an intelligent striker who times his runs well, finds open areas to receive the ball and he has shown that he can be clinical in front of goal.

Other Alternative for Sørensen

Last week, I wrote an article that promotes the idea of trying Christian Atsu or Jacob Murphy in the number ten role due to Ayoze Perez’s poor run of form as the attacking midfielder, but Sørensen would also be a good option for that position.

This experiment would allow Rondon and Muto to lead the front-line with a strong and precise shooter immediately behind them. This triple threat could benefit Newcastle as they have only managed to score six goals in nine matches and have failed to score in matches against teams outside of the top six.