Allan Saint-Maximin shouldn’t start against Southampton – opinion

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Allan Saint-Maximin made his Newcastle return off the bench against Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend. However, Eddie Howe has stated that he might not be ready to start against Southampton.

Speaking in today’s press conference Howe provided an update on the Frenchman’s fitness.

“He’s not 100% fit,” Howe said.

“He did one day of training in three weeks before the previous game but we are keen to have him back at his best. I think when he came on he did well and I thought he gave us a lift. We’re trying to build up his fitness.”

Another cameo appearence would be good for Saint-Maximin, he can’t afford to miss this weekend’s clash

Howe should do what he did last weekend and bring on the winger later on in the second half. Should the Magpies find themselves looking to find a winner or salvage a draw, Saint-Maximin could offer a lot off the bench.

But if that’s not the case and the Toon are in control of proceedings then they can afford not to risk bringing him on. They take on Chelsea this weekend away from home, and they’ll want to make sure the 24-year-old is back in time for that tough challenge.

2022 has been a challenging year for Newcastle on the injury front. Many players including Callum Wilson and Kieran Trippier have been sidelined.

So any long-term absence for Saint-Maximin would be extremely detrimental. It’s important they get him back to full fitness. They’re unbeaten this calendar year and will want to keep their momentum going as they look to distance themselves from the bottom three.

The Frenchman is a key player for Newcastle – previously the only beacon of hope. He’s certainly impressed Trippier, who described him as ‘mental’ on the True Geordie podcast.

Furthermore, other players have stepped up for the Magpies. Ryan Fraser has been in immense form and followed up an impressive February with a goal against Brighton. He will hope he can do the same against Southampton.

The Saints have their own injury issues. However, they’re hard to predict, getting unlikely results in both victories and defeats. Howe and his players will be well aware of the threats Southampton pose.

Newcastle seem unstoppable at the minute and that has been without Saint-Maximin. Howe can afford to leave him on the bench and only bring him on if absolutely necessary.