Lineup prediction: Three new faces start for Newcastle vs. Tottenham

Steve Bruce learned his tactical lesson from last weekend as Newcastle United prepare for Tottenham on Sunday.

Newcastle United are coming off an impressive 7-0 victory over League Two outfit Morecambe in the Carabao Cup, but that big win did little to take away the sting of the 3-0 defeat to Brighton in the Premier League.

Newcastle United need to bounce back and experience an immediate resurgence, but that task will be difficult against Tottenham. Jose Mourinho’s men are coming off a 5-2 victory over a talented Southampton side, and they will look to do the same to the Magpies.

Newcastle United stunned Tottenham on the road last season, but Bruce needs to make changes to both his tactics and the lineup in order to take something from Sunday’s game.

Lineup Prediction

Formation: 4-2-3-1

The 4-4-2 formation is not the right shape for Newcastle United, and after the criticism Bruce received last weekend, it is safe to assume he will revert to the 4-2-3-1 formation.

Mark Gillespie deserves a chance to start between the sticks, but Bruce will go with the inconsistent Karl Darlow against Harry Kane and company, which now includes Gareth Bale.

Javier Manquillo, Federico Fernandez, and Jamaal Lascelles will start as expected, but Jamal Lewis’ injury will open the door for Swedish international wing-back Emil Krafth.

The duo in the middle will be composed of Jonjo Shelvey and Isaac Hayden seeing that they provide creativity and aggression. The shift in formation will see Jeff Hendrick sit on the bench, at least for Sunday’s clash. The trio ahead of Shelvey and Hayden will be exciting to watch.

Ryan Fraser and Miguel Almiron will get their first starts of the 2020-21 campaign, and Allan Saint-Maximin will be ready to lace up alongside them. The Frenchman has not been in top form yet, but he can turn things around in a big game against a top side this weekend.

Leading the front line on his own will be Callum Wilson. Like the rest of the team, Wilson struggled against Brighton, but he will be supported by a dynamic group of attacking midfielders.

Recap

Darlow; Manquillo, Fernandez, Lascelles, Krafth; Hayden, Shelvey; Fraser, Almiron, Saint-Maximin; Wilson.