Newcastle desperately need to find the goal-scoring touch this season, with the current woeful total of five simply not good enough, which means there may be changes this weekend.
With Andy Carroll now ruled out through injury, it could see Dwight Gayle drafted into the starting lineup to face Wolves at St James’ Park on Sunday.
As much as I still have major doubts about Gayle’s ability to score at the top level, something clearly needs to be done, and he is the logical choice to step in.
But there is one trap Steve Bruce must not fall into if he decides to hand Gayle his first Newcastle start, and that is not to replace Joelinton for him.
If he drops the Brazilian in favour of Gayle, he will simply have the same problem, but with different players.
Playing the two alongside each other will get the best out of both of them.
Steve Bruce needs to be brave with his tactics this weekend
I have been banging the drum for a strike partner for Joelinton so often that I am in danger of sounding like a broken record, but it is a fact he needs someone to play off.
The same goes for Gayle. He is not, and never will be, a target man, and is most threatening when running onto flicks, lay-offs and through-balls from his attacking teammates.
Despite my Gayle doubts, I will happily eat humble pie if Bruce takes the bold option of playing twin strikers, and it pays off with the former Crystal Palace man bagging a goal or two.
Having Allan Saint-Maximin playing in the hole just behind a front two, supplying them with opportunities, is actually a mouth-watering proposition, and one that will give us the best chance of taking three points.
It should also mean a more attacking mindset, meaning – for once – we might reach near-parity on the possession statistics.
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