Newcastle United may need to call upon talented youngster Leo Shahar over the coming days and weeks.
A spate of defensive injuries have left Eddie Howe light on full-back options heading into the frantic festive fixture schedule.
Though Lewis Hall could make Newcastle United’s game against Chelsea on Saturday, Howe does not have many other solutions.
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Kieran Trippier, Tino Livramento and Dan Burn are all injured, meaning Lewis Miley is set to play at right-back against the Blues.
Indeed, Newcastle’s list of injured players is extensive and the bulk of the issues are centred around the defensive line.
As such, Shahar may be needed.
The Newcastle academy player was on the bench for the Carabao Cup win over Fulham and Howe was asked about the 18-year-old during his pre-match press conference.
Eddie Howe confirms he’s ready to trust Leo Shahar to play for Newcastle United
It seems unlikely that the former Wolves youngster will be starting any games any time soon.
Still, such are the extent of the ailments in one particular area of the Newcastle United squad, there’s a chance he could be called upon.
Hall, after all, missed the Fulham game with a hamstring problem, which has previously ruled him out of other games this season.
Miley, meanwhile, is not a natural right-back.
Asked if he would consider playing Shahar, Howe said: “Leo’s another talented young player here.
“I think he possesses the ability to play both sides. Left-back and right-back, he’s done both for us.
“He’s trained with us intermittently for around, I’d say, a season depending on our numbers.
“He’s an England youth international, highly rated, really good athletically. So, he’s in and around it [the team] and he’s certainly someone we would trust, having trained with him for a long period of time.”
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Newcastle United simply must make U-turn on Leo Shahar now
Shahar could leave Newcastle on loan next season but perhaps that would now be an unwise move.
Livramento’s future at Newcastle is uncertain, while Trippier is out of contract at the end of the season.
Though the club could feasibly sign a full-back either in January or next summer, it’s equally as possible both of their current right-backs could have left by that point.
Howe is not blessed with options there and if he already trusts Shahar, then it seems rather pointless to send him on loan for more experience.
The England U19 international looks like an exciting talent and the idea of turning to someone in the academy to help answer an injury crisis is always an exciting prospect.
Miley, after all, stepped in during the 2023-24 campaign to huge success.
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