Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe will change his starting XI against Birmingham City.
The Magpies are in FA Cup action this weekend, just days after qualifying for the Carabao Cup final.
Newcastle beat Arsenal on Wednesday night to book their trip to Wembley. Eddie Howe’s side will face Liverpool in March, after Arne Slot’s team knocked out Tottenham Hotspur.
But now Newcastle United must shift their focus away from cup final plans. The FA Cup is now the priority, with the Magpies facing Birmingham City at St Andrew’s.
Chris Sutton thinks Newcastle should go full strength, but that would come as a surprise.
Eddie Howe provides injury update on Sven Botman
No matter what, there will be at least one change to the Newcastle United starting XI.
Sven Botman suffered a knee injury against Arsenal, and Eddie Howe has confirmed that the 25-year-old will miss the game against the League One side. However, it is not a serious injury, nor is it the same knee that Sven Botman had surgery on last year.
“I don’t think he’ll be available for this weekend,” he said.
“He’s taken a knock to the opposite knee to his ACL injury. I don’t believe it is a serious injury but it’ll be enough keep him out of the Birmingham game.
“Then we’ll assess him during the week before we lead into our next league game.”
Newcastle United should be resting Sven Botman no matter what
Even if Botman had came through the game against Arsenal unscathed, the Birmingham clash is one he should be sitting out.
The Dutch defender is still building up his fitness after returning from an ACL injury, and Newcastle will be wary about not overplaying him so soon after his recovery.
Howe was desperate to start Botman against Arsenal, but you would like to assume he would rest the £35million defender on Saturday.
Now he will have no choice, with Botman sustaining a fresh knee injury. Thankfully, it is not a serious issue.
It feels likely that Newcastle will play a back four against Birmingham, with three players in contention to start. Howe could stick with Fabian Schar and Dan Burn, or he could bring Emil Krafth in for his first start since late October.
Schar and Burn have been selected in Geordie Boot Boys’ predicted Newcastle XI to face Birmingham City.
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