Newcastle should start Sean Longstaff over Joe Willock vs Fulham – opinion

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Newcastle United return to Premier League action against Fulham today, and Eddie Howe should consider starting Sean Longstaff.

The midfielder began the Magpies’ last game on the bench, losing his place in the starting XI to Bruno Guimaraes. The Brazilian wasn’t fully fit though, and was replaced by Longstaff midway through the second half.

Howe has confirmed that Bruno is fit to play against Fulham after an injury scare, but that doesn’t mean Longstaff should remain on the bench. But that doesn’t mean that Bruno should not start either.

Instead, it is Joe Willock who should potentially lose his place in the Toon midfield.

Why Longstaff should start over Willock

While Joe Willock has had some bright moments this season, the £25million man hasn’t been at his best in recent fixtures. He was particularly disappointing against Bournemouth, showing a lack of patience in the final third.

We need the 23-year-old to get back to his best, where he can arrive late in the box and score goals from midfield. That’s why Newcastle spent so much money on him.

Another player Newcastle spent a lot of money on his Bruno. And he has admitted that he prefers to play higher up the pitch.

This season he has played as a ‘number six’ in the absence of Jonjo Shelvey. However, it’s clear that we can get more out of the 24-year-old higher up the pitch.

For this season, Howe should shuffle his midfield against Fulham and play Longstaff in the ‘six’. He filled that role during Bruno’s injury absence and performed well, getting an ‘incredible‘ assist against Liverpool.

That would allow Bruno to play in a more advanced role and hopefully influence the game more in the final third. It also gives the Magpies a more attacking option on the bench, as Willock will be keen to prove why he shouldn’t be dropped.

With players returning from injury, Howe suddenly has options. With that in mind, he should replace Willock with Longstaff against Fulham and start him alongside Bruno and Joelinton.