Ahead of today’s 1.30pm clash with Spurs at St James’ Park, it’s time to guess which side we’ll go with as we bid to keep our unbeaten start to the new season going.
For me, Howe faces four dilemmas. Tino or Trippier? Hall or Kelly? Longstaff or Tonali? And Barnes, Murphy or Miggy to play alongside Gordon and Isak in attack?
Predicted Newcastle XI: Pope – Livramento, Krafth, Burn, Kelly – Longstaff, Bruno, Joelinton – Murphy, Isak, Gordon.
I’d be happy to see Trippier, Hall, Tonali and Barnes all start, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Howe goes with Tino, Kelly, Longstaff and Murphy. Personally, I’d love to see Tonali come straight back in – he looked razor sharp at Forest – and feel Barnes is worthy of a start after his game-changing cameo at Bournemouth.
However, Howe tends to ease players back in and he clearly has plenty of faith in Longstaff, so he and Murphy may keep their places at RCM and RW.
For Spurs, Ange Postecoglou has suggested that Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven and Rodrigo Benatncur are fine for the trip to Tyneside after overcoming knocks, but £65m Dominic Solanke and £60m Brazilian Richarlison have been ruled out.
Predicted Spurs XI: Vicar – Leek, Romerovan de Ven, Udogie – Bissouma, Sarr, Maddison – Johnson, Kuluseski, Son.
