Shay Given has suggested that two Newcastle United players could return to the starting 11 for Wednesday’s game against AC Milan as their injury record starts to improve.
Both Callum Wilson and Sean Longstaff featured in Newcastle’s defeat against Tottenham off the bench after missing the last few weeks through injury.
Speaking on Match of The Day 2, Given has suggested that the Newcastle duo could be handed a start against Milan with the rest of the team looking exhausted.
Given says changes have to be made ahead of the Milan game
Wednesday night against Milan is arguably the biggest fixture for Newcastle in the last couple of decades in terms of what it means financially and commercially for the club moving forwards.
The Magpies remain in with a chance of securing a place in the knockout rounds of the Champions League, but can only do so with a win and if PSG fail to beat Borussia Dortmund on the same night.
At the very least, Eddie Howe’s side need to achieve Europa League football which will still be lucrative for the club to be able to spend in January.
Given has been watching the last couple of Newcastle games and is sure that changes have to be made for Milan or they will risk putting in similar performances to the ones against Tottenham and Everton.
On Match of the Day 2, Given said: “The same 10 players are starting every single game, it’s very difficult. Longstaff and Wilson came off the bench which is obviously a plus but when you’re into double figures for players injured, and key players who’d be starting, they’re missing them big time.
“The Champions League has had its toll playing in midweek, Premier League in midweek and traveling around so you really feel for Eddie Howe but hopefully there’s a few more players back for Milan.
“As I say there’s a few plusses with Longstaff and Wilson back and they’ll play on Wednesday perhaps.”
Newcastle are tired and struggling to continue
Against both Everton and Tottenham, the whole team looked shattered, and that’s starting to create problems for players who we know to be top class.
Kieran Trippier, for example, is one of the most reliable players on the team, you very rarely see the England international putting in a bad performance, but he’s made some key errors in both of these games which has lead to goals.
Trippier will receive the criticism because it’s his mistake, but it’s the entire team who need a breather and a chance to recover, but the games keep coming thick and fast.
Some reinforcements is certainly good news for Howe, but he’d still like to have more players available which doesn’t look like it’s going to happen until the new year at the earliest.
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