Newcastle United received a hidden boost against Bournemouth, Eddie Howe will be delighted

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Newcastle United made it three straight 0-0 draws away from home against Bournemouth, but there were many positives to take from the game.

By no means was it a box office thriller, but Eddie Howe will be pleased with some aspects of the game.

The 47-year-old took a more defensive set-up to the game, with a back five turning into a back three when counterattacking. It was yet another solid performance at the back from Howe’s defenders, with Newcastle United keeping their third straight clean sheet on the road.

Scoring goals away from home continues to be an issue; however, Nick Woltemade is still adapting to life in the Premier League, while Yoane Wissa remains out with a knee injury.

There were bright performances from the likes of Sven Botman and Malick Thiaw, even if the latter should have been sent off for a second bookable offence late on. Thiaw was replaced by Jamaal Lascelles late on, and while the substitution may have been an insignificant one, it would have meant the world to the 31-year-old.

Jamaal Lascelles makes his first competitive appearance since March 2024

It has been a very, very tough 18 months for Lascelles, who was sidelined for most of the 2024/25 campaign due to an ACL injury.

The defender sustained the injury during a Premier League game against West Ham in March 2024, and while Howe thought he would be available sooner, it took longer than expected for him to return to full fitness.

After returning to the bench at the back end of last season, Lascelles featured during Newcastle’s pre-season tour of Asia.

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On Sunday, Lascelles made his official return to the squad by coming on late against Bournemouth, which will surely be a huge weight off his shoulders.

Even if he only played the final few minutes of the game, he will be delighted to get back on the pitch and help his side earn a point at a historically difficult ground in recent years.

Lascelles is out of contract at the end of the season, so he has a lot to fight for if he wants to continue his career at the Magpies.

Jamaal Lascelles could feature in Newcastle United’s next fixture

Lascelles was omitted from Newcastle’s Champions League squad to allow new signings like Thiaw to replace him, meaning there are limited opportunities for him to impress outside of the Premier League.

However, the Englishman has a big opportunity to get himself into the starting XI when Newcastle welcome Bradford City to St James’ Park on Wednesday night.

The Bantams are flying high in League One, winning six of their opening nine fixtures to put themselves at the top of the table. By no means will it be a straightforward game given their form, so Howe must select a strong starting XI.

That means Lascelles could be favoured in defence over an academy player who would usually get an opportunity in a game like this. Fans must remember that Newcastle are defending the Carabao Cup this season, so there is an expectation of a run in the domestic competitions.

Lascelles lifted the trophy at Wembley alongside Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier in March, but he could be tasked with helping the Magpies reach the fourth round this season.