Matt Targett has started Newcastle United’s last two games on the bench, but that should change against Manchester United.
The 27-year-old has surprisingly found himself out of the starting XI in recent weeks, with Sven Botman taking his place in the side. Eddie Howe has then opted to push Burn out to left-back, leaving Targett out in the cold.
The former Aston Villa man has appeared off the bench in wins over Fulham and Brentford. However, he has came on at right-back on both occasions in place of Kieran Trippier.
Burn was once again Newcastle’s left-back on Saturday, and actually ended the 5-1 win over Brentford as Toon captain. The 30-year-old put in a solid performance, but didn’t quite look as comfortable as he usually has in a black and white shirt.
And with Man United set to pose a bigger threat next Sunday at Old Trafford, now is the time for Howe to recall Targett to the starting lineup.
Newcastle need Targett to handle Antony – he should replace Burn
Illness kept Targett out of the starting XI against Fulham. And that inevitably led to him starting on the bench against Brentford too after Burn performed well the week before.
Howe kept faith in the team that won at Craven Cottage, and they justified his decision by blowing away the Bees.
However, Man United is a different challenge. And one player Newcastle must be very wary of is Antony.
The Brazilian winger is enjoying a blistering start to life in England since joining the Red Devils from Ajax. He cost them £85million – a staggering amount of money.
But Antony is doing his best to justify the price. The 22-year-old has managed to score on each of his three Premier League starts so far, while his direct running and pace is causing plenty of problems for defenders.
And that’s why Targett should return. While Burn is decent as a full-back, Targett is much better. The former Southampton lad is much better in one-on-one situations, and will be able to handle Antony’s speed better than Burn.
It’s not an easy decision, but it’s one that Howe must make. He has to pick the team that has the best chance of winning at Old Trafford. And that means Targett has to return to the starting XI.
It’s harsh on Burn, who was called ‘incredible‘ by Howe at the weekend. But his time will certainly come again, either on the left or in the middle.
Receive a digest of our best Newcastle content each week direct to your mailbox
