Newcastle boss Eddie Howe made a brave decision against Liverpool, removing Callum Wilson from the starting XI.
It was a decision that certainly turned heads given how pivotal Wilson is to us. He’s our top scorer this season, so far netting six Premier League goals.
But against one of the best teams in the world, Wilson spent most of the game watching on from the bench.
Howe tweaked his system, using a 4-5-1 formation with Allan Saint-Maximin as a lone striker.
Before kick off, we had pondered whether the Frenchman would be the one to be rested. Regardless, starting both Saint-Maximin and Wilson would have been ambitious. While they’re our two best players, Thursday night was about being defensively solid.
That’s what Howe went for at Anfield, but it was Wilson who dropped to the bench. And it was a decision that upset some supporters.
Some fans unhappy to see Callum Wilson on the bench
Eddie Howe got it right despite defeat
While the result was disappointing, it’s hard to argue with Howe’s tactics. We looked solid at times, whilst offering an occasional threat on the break.
Saint-Maximin through the middle caused problems, and should have done better with a couple of his opportunities.
Some will believe Wilson AND Saint-Maximin should have started, but that would have been a recipe for disaster.
We needed to defend well at Anfield. That’s why we set up with five across the midfield. The wingers were tasked with protecting the full-backs. That’s a role Saint-Maximin wouldn’t have been able to do. It’s not his game.
And playing two up top would have left us light in midfield.
Would Wilson have done better with Saint-Maximin’s chances? Probably, but we likely wouldn’t have won them if the Frenchman wasn’t on the pitch.
It was a controversial move to rest our top scorer, but it was a difficult decision that made sense. There are bigger games ahead when Wilson will be worth his weight in gold.
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