Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has the chance to give some of his fringe players minutes against Chelsea on Sunday, but one man who won’t feature is Javi Manquillo.
The Spanish defender has only started two games for Newcastle this season, and they both came in the cup. Manquillo has spent the entire season acting as deputy to Kieran Trippier, but would have hoped to feature at Stamford Bridge.
Newcastle do not have much to play for on Sunday, other than their final league position. But whether the Magpies come third or fourth, we will definitely be in next season’s Champions League.
That could have inspired Howe to give Trippier a rest, given the fact the 32-year-old has featured in every Toon game this season. However, it now looks like that is unlikely.
Howe confirms Manquillo and Joelinton will miss Chelsea
Howe has spoke to the media ahead of the Chelsea game, and confirmed that Newcastle will be without Joelinton and Manquillo for the trip to London.
“The end of the season has come at a good time for us because we would have been really stretched,” he said.
“Joelinton and Manquillo will miss the game and we also have the other injuries. We’re stretched but it will give us the chance to have a look at one or two other things.”
Manquillo may never play for Newcastle again
With Manquillo out and Emil Krafth still not fully fit, Trippier will almost certainly start against Chelsea. However, it could at least give Harrison Ashby a chance to make his debut. He was on the bench for Monday’s season-defining draw with Leicester.
As for Manquillo, his latest injury absence means he might never play for the club again. It has been reported that he has offers to leave Newcastle this summer.
The 29-year-old has been with the Magpies since 2017, making more than 100 appearances during his six years on Tyneside.
This has been the season in which Manquillo has played the least, making just six appearances in total. Four of them came in the Premier League, replacing Trippier off the bench against Southampton, West Ham, Tottenham and Brighton.
He has always been fairly reliable in a Toon shirt, but his minutes were always going to diminish as soon as a player of Trippier’s quality arrived.
If he wants to play more regularly then he needs to secure a move away this summer.