Newcastle could face multiple former Magpies against Watford, but the one with the biggest point to prove will be Danny Rose.
The left-back joined the Hornets on a free transfer following his release by Tottenham this summer. Rose signed a two-year deal at Vicarage Road, as he looks to restart his career.
That’s what he hoped would happen at St James’ Park when he joined Newcastle on loan in January 2020.
Rose was one of three loanees to join the Magpies during that window, alongside Nabil Bentaleb and Valentino Lazaro.
Sadly, none of them really impressed, and Rose’s failure was the biggest surprise of all.
Danny Rose was a major disappointment at Newcastle
He seemed like a sensible signing at the time – an experienced left-back who has played at the top level, from a World Cup to a Champions League final.
In 11 Premier League appearances, Rose never looked like that kind of player. He spent more time talking about fish and chips. The fact there was never any talk of him returning permanently speaks volumes.
Instead, Rose spent all of last season in the Tottenham reserves.
But now he’s got a new club, and will be desperate to make up for lost time. He’ll also be keen to make an impression against his former side Newcastle.
After starting the season on the bench, Rose has started Watford’s previous two games and seems certain to feature against the Magpies.
Likewise, Rose is certainly a player our forwards can exploit if he performs like he did during his Newcastle loan spell.
In what is a vital game for Steve Bruce, the Danny Rose subplot makes for an even more interesting afternoon at Vicarage Road.
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