Newcastle United confirm star is already getting fitter, he could start against Nottingham Forest

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Eddie Howe must rotate his Newcastle United side, but some players are making themselves undroppable.

The intense run of games continues on Sunday, when the Magpies face Nottingham Forest at St James’ Park. It is an important game for Eddie Howe, who will want to put another three points on the board before the international break.

But he will also be keen to manage his squad, just days after Newcastle’s 4-0 win over USG in the Champions League.

There will be a temptation to make changes, but one player who could retain his place in the starting XI is Nick Woltemade.

• Who is Nick Woltemade? The ‘two-metre Messi-Musiala’ Newcastle United broke transfer record to sign

Eddie Howe hints Nick Woltemade could start against Nottingham Forest

Woltemade was excellent against USG, as he continues to adapt to the physical demands of being a Newcastle United player.

Starting against Forest would mean three starts in the space of a week for Woltemade, which might be too much for a player who was cramping up after an hour on his Toon debut.

However, Howe believes that the 23-year-old is already getting fitter, refusing to rule out the possibility of him starting again versus Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

“We will make a decision and judgement on that closer to the game,” he said during his pre-match press conference.

“Physically, the first game at Wolves was tough for him, as he explained afterwards. I think it was a shock to his system.

“Slowly but surely, as your system becomes used to those demands, I think you can get games pretty quickly. So I think he has improved.”

Newcastle United players starting to understand Nick Woltemade

The more Woltemade plays, the more his Newcastle United teammates will understand how he operates.

During his first few appearances for the club, we only saw flashes of his brilliance. His linkup play has always been excellent, but Newcastle have sometimes struggled to get him involved in the game.

That was not the case on Wednesday night, with Newcastle’s front three of Woltemade, Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga working in tandem.

Ahead of Newcastle vs Nottingham Forest, Howe has spoken about Woltemade’s blossoming relationship with his teammates, admitting that they are starting to get to grips with how the giant German operates.

“His ability to take balls in tight areas is very good,” Howe said.

“His teammates, most importantly, have begun to understand his game. They really trust him with the ball.

“He’s a really great guy, he’s very positive. He’s continually laughing with his teammates. He seems at home already, which is absolutely crucial to his success on the pitch.”

Despite having the honour of being Newcastle’s most expensive signing, Woltemade is clearly not feeling the pressure.

He exudes calmness on the pitch, and it is clear to see that he is going to make the players around him better. With his hold-up play and Gordon and Elanga’s speed, Newcastle United have the makings of a fearsome frontline.

Toon fans will hope to see that trio start again on Sunday, as they prepare to face a struggling Nottingham Forest side that are extremely short of confidence.