Newcastle United return to Premier League action on Monday night with a trip to Coventry City, as Matthias Jaissle looks to continue racking up the points and solve some of the issues that have caused concern so fat this season.
The Magpies have had plenty of injuries to contend with recently and questions over fitness could leave the German with some difficult decisions to make when selecting his starting XI.
The international break has offered some players a chance to build momentum, while others will be hoping to force their way back into the side. With that in mind, here is how Newcastle could line up against Coventry.
GK: Lukas Hornicek
Oh, who would have guessed.
It’s either Hornicek or Pope at the minute with Jaouen out and the Czech has been very solid this season so far.
A couple of starts during the international break will have served him well and there isn’t really any question he’ll start again on Newcastle’s Premier League return.
RB: Amar Dedic
This one is difficult because neither of the two right-back options are fully fit. In fact, Tino is confirmed to be out for the foreseeable and Dedic has only just returned to training this week.
If the Bosnian isn’t deemed fit enough to play it’ll probably be Lewis Miley who again lines up on the right of the back four, but more out of hope than expectation, I’m backing Dedic to be fit for the trip to Coventry.
CB: Sven Botman
I was a little bit iffy about Botman going into this season, but he’s actually been serviceable so far despite the goals conceded.
The Dutchman should continue to line up alongside Malick Thiaw here and will be hoping to begin stringing some clean sheets together as the Magpies look to curb the defensive issues they have faced so far this season.
CB: Malick Thiaw
Thiaw played a couple of games for Germany during the international break and has now returned to the club unscathed and ready to return to Premier League action.
The German will probably once again take the captain’s armband, unless of course Joelinton is put in from the start, and will be hoping to keep improving that partnership with Botman.
LB: Lewis Hall
Fresh off three consecutive starts for England in which he more than did enough to establish himself as the starting left-back, Hall will be hoping to pick up where he left off in black and white.
Hall has started the season exceptionally well and has arguably been Newcastle’s best player thus far. There should be some freedom for him to advance down the left flank here against newly promoted Coventry and his creative talent could be crucial to the Magpies picking up points.
CM: Nico Gonzalez
Nico has returned from the concussion he received against Leeds and I expect him to go straight back in here.
Jaissle tried something different against Hull with a single pivot, but that was perhaps born more out of necessity than a desire to change formation, so it would make sense for him to return to the usual midfield structure here.
CM: Joelinton
This might be a little rogue, but Steur has been away on international duty, Ramsey is still recovering from his injury and we aren’t entirely sure whether Miley will be fit yet.
If you cast your mind back to the 4-1 battering against Leeds, the midfield really struggled and got quite heavily overrun, especially after Gonzalez went off.
That may lead Jaissle to go with a bit more experience and bite in the central areas, with Coventry probably seeing that as an area they can exploit. Joelinton would be the obvious option to provide that if fit and ready to go.
RW: Anthony Elanga
If we are being honest, it just will be Jacob Murphy because there is little point risking Elanga when another option is available - but a man can dream…
Even if it isn’t the Coventry game, Elanga needs to be restored to his place in the starting XI as soon as possible and this pick is definitely a case of hope and prayer more than expecting the Swede to start.
CAM: Yoane Wissa
Wissa had an exceptional international break, scoring twice and assisting once in two AFCON qualification games for DR Congo.
Jaissle has spoken this week about how Wissa’s versatility is a weapon and how he doesn’t want to shoehorn him into just one of those front two positions. I do expect him to continue in that role behind the striker here, though.
LW: Harvey Barnes
Bazoumana Toure grabbed a goal during the international break, but Barnes stayed with Newcastle, had another couple of weeks training under Jaissle and was the first choice anyway so should probably further cement his tight grip on the starting spot here.
Against a side who may well try to contain, it could be a game of moments for Newcastle on Monday night, and there’s no-one better in the squad when you need a moment than Harvey Barnes.
ST: Matias Fernandez-Pardo
Whilst this international break hasn’t exactly gone to plan for Fernandez-Pardo, with the Belgian barely playing despite being away with his country, I still expect him to come back and start here.
Will Osula is back in training but, having missed nearly two months now with injury, the feeling is that there is no point rushing him back to starting games when other options are fully fit.
There are still question marks over Fernandez-Pardo’s sharpness given his lack of pre season, but the Belgian has shown his willingness to press at high intensity which could serve Newcastle well in this one.
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