Newcastle United take on Manchester United tonight in the Premier League – and Eddie Howe has named his starting XI.
The Magpies are looking to stop the rot, having lost each of the last three matches.
Howe’s side have been on the end of some poor decisions.
But at the same time, Newcastle have played poorly and simply need to be better.
The club are desperately in need of January, but for now, Howe must work with what he he’s got.
Manchester United are tonight’s opponents and they haven’t played since December 11 having been hit by a Covid outbreak.
Prior to that, they had been on a run of four Premier League games unbeaten.
Only time will tell if they come into this game refreshed and raring to go, or a little bit rusty.
Newcastle XI to face Manchester United – Sean Longstaff in for first start under Eddie Howe
So the team news is in and Howe has made six changes to the side that lost 4-0 to Manchester City.
Martin Dubravka is in goal and is protected by a back four of Emil Krafth, Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles and Javier Manquillo seemingly at left-back.
In midfield, there is a first start under the new manager for Sean Longstaff, who partners up with Jonjo Shelvey.
The 24-year-old got his first minutes under Howe against City when he replaced Isaac Hayden with around half an hour to go.
Now he has a chance to get back to the decent form he showed early in the season.
Joelinton and Ryan Fraser are also starting, with one presumably playing as a central attacking midfielder.
And up top, Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin are also starting.
It could be that Joelinton is lining up with Wilson, with Saint-Maximin and Fraser out wide in a 4-4-2.
The players to drop out of the starting XI are Jacob Murphy, Ciaran Clark, Miguel Almiron, Hayden and Joe Willock. Coming in are Krafth, Schar, Manquillo, Longstaff, Shelvey and Saint-Maximin.
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