Newcastle United fans have been stunned by how good Tino Livramento is this season.
There was a decent amount of excitement when he arrived from Southampton, combined with an understanding that he was bought as one for the future. He was earmarked to replace Kieran Trippier, when that time comes.
But Tino Livramento has gone on to play a huge role this season, and he already looks like the real deal. His debut against Manchester City was incredible, and he has gone from strength to strength since that moment.
The 21-year-old has made 29 appearances in all competitions, many of which have came in an unfamiliar role. Livramento is primarily a right-back, but he has been asked to play on the left quite a lot.
And the results have been very surprising.
Newcastle surprised by how good Tino Livramento is at left-back
According to the Athletic, Newcastle United insiders have been surprised by how well Livramento has done at left-back.
They add that the club did not expect him to be so good in that position, having barely played there throughout his young career.
Yet most of Livramento’s minutes have came at left-back. He has never looked uncomfortable on what is effectively his weaker side, showcasing the same athleticism and defensive solidity as he would on the right.
Livramento was exceptional at left-back during a 1-0 win over Manchester United back in December, completely shutting down Marcus Rashford. And that came just days after a sensational display in the Champions League away to Paris Saint-Germain.
It has been a real surprise to see Livramento do so well at left-back, and it makes him even more valuable to Eddie Howe. The Newcastle manager loves players who are versatile, and now we know that Livramento is just that.
However, he is now set for a spell in his favourite position. With Kieran Trippier out injured, Livramento is set to start Newcastle’s next two games on the right of defence.
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