Newcastle must find a way to stop Leicester ace James Maddison, a player they could have signed five years ago

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Newcastle United do not enjoy playing against James Maddison.

The midfielder has scored in the previous two meetings between the Magpies and Leicester, including a thunderbolt at St James’ Park last season.

Maddison is one of the best attacking midfield players in the Premier League, and a man who will still have outside hopes of going to the Euros this summer.

A big performance against Newcastle on Friday night certainly won’t do him any harm.

The 24-year-old has recently returned from injury, and featured in Leicester’s previous game against Southampton.

“He’s not at his full level of fitness yet but the only way you get that is in games, so it’s another week for him,” Rodgers told Leicester’s official website.

“Hopefully he can perform at his highest level against Newcastle.”

Maddison could have been a Magpie instead

The Magpies will be looking to stop Maddison on Friday night, but in an alternative universe he could have been wearing black and white.

According to former chief scout Graham Carr, Newcastle could have signed Maddison back when he was playing for Coventry.

“Adam Armstrong was on loan at Coventry City when Tony Mowbray was manager there. I was friendly with Mark Venus and they were desperate to take him back on loan to Coventry,” Carr told the Chronicle back in January.

“James Maddison was there – my scouts were there and they put his name in very strongly to us.

“Newcastle were in the driving seat to get him because of [Adam] Armstrong but it never happened.

“You just didn’t always know why a deal hadn’t been done when you recommended a player.”

Adam Armstrong re-joined Coventry on loan in January 2016, meaning it was five years ago that Newcastle could have signed Maddison according to Carr.

The Times also reported that Newcastle had scouted the then-teenager.

Instead, he joined Norwich City, where he impressed enough to earn a move to Leicester.

Now he’s an England international, and a player who looks set to take part in next season’s Champions League.

Maddison is probably grateful that he didn’t end up signing for Newcastle. On Friday night, he’ll be hoping to make it three goals in three against the Magpies.

Can Steve Bruce find a way of stopping him on?