According to the Telegraph, Karl Darlow is set to be dropped against Wolves.
After a lengthy injury followed by time spent on the bench, Martin Dubravka is finally set to return.
But after the defeat to Manchester United, Dubravka is reportedly set to reclaim his place in the starting XI.
The Slovakian hasn’t played a Premier League game since the final day of last season. His only appearance this season came in the FA Cup defeat to Arsenal.
There has been a lot of noise lately from fans who want Dubravka to replace Darlow. And after a couple of errors at Old Trafford, they will get their wish.
Darlow was beaten at his near post twice, then a strange attempt to save Bruno Fernandes’ penalty capped off a disappointing night.
But despite the previous game, Karl Darlow deserves a lot of praise for his stint as Newcastle’s number one.
Where would we be without Darlow?
When Dubravka first got injured last season, there was a lot of worry from fans. But the global pandemic ensured that the 2018 signing didn’t miss a minute of football.
But he wasn’t so lucky this season, with an ankle problem ruling him out for months.
This was even more worrying for Toon fans, as it meant we were going into the new season with our second choice goalkeeper.
But we needn’t have worried. Darlow quickly proved he was up to the task.
He kept a clean sheet in the first game of the season away to West Ham, but it was against Tottenham where he truly proved how good he can be.
Darlow channelled his inner Tim Krul to keep out Spurs on multiple occasions. The 30-year-old made 11 saves, providing the platform for Newcastle to snatch a late point.
He made outstanding saves at home to Liverpool, ensuring we got a vital draw against the champions.
Throughout the season, Darlow has defied belief with his performances. It even led to talk of a possible England callup.
As Darlow prepares to drop out of the team in favour of Dubravka, we should be praising the season he’s had.
Particularly in the first half of the season, he was our most reliable player. Had it not been for Darlow who knows where we’d be.
In fact, it’s obvious where we’d be – the relegation zone. Darlow won us points on his own, and should be applauded for his incredible run of form.
But the time for change has come. Dubravka is also a wonderful goalkeeper. He’s more of a commanding presence in the box, which is an area where Darlow has struggled.
If Dubravka can play as well as Darlow did at the start of the season, we might just have enough about us to survive.