Three ways Eddie Howe can replace injured Lewis Hall in Carabao Cup final vs Liverpool

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Lewis Hall is to miss the rest of Newcastle United’s season with injury in a massive blow ahead of the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool.

Newcastle United’s quest to finally bring their 70-year wait for a trophy to an end is getting tougher and tougher as the Carabao Cup final vs Liverpool gets closer.

First, Anthony Gordon got suspended for the trip to Wembley after his stupid sending off against Brighton, a decision Newcastle have decided against appealing.

Now Eddie Howe has suffered another massive blow as Lewis Hall has been ruled out of the season with a foot injury.

Newcastle’s strongest starting XI for the final is depleted already and there are still concerns over the fitness of Alexander Isak and Kieran Trippier, too.

Hall has grown into one of Howe’s most important players this season – with Newcastle having a worse record without Hall – and the manager will have a big task on his hand in replacing him.

Here are three possible ways he could do it for the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool.

Tino Livramento switches sides

The most obvious way for Newcastle to replace Hall is by moving Tino Livramento to left-back, a decision that Howe has reportedly already made.

Livramento has played at left-back in 10 of his 68 games since moving to St. James’ Park, so it’s a position he is comfortable with.

However, Livramento moving to the left is contingent on Trippier being fit enough to play at Wembley.

The veteran full-back – who can also play on the left – limped off the field against Brighton with a back complaint but there is yet to be a further update on his status. Hopefully it’s only a minor problem and he is fit to play.

Dan Burn back out to left-back

However, if Trippier can’t make the game either, then Howe will have to do yet more shifting of his back-line.

The next best option available to the manager would be to keep Livramento on his natural flank and move Dan Burn back out to left-back, a position he has played in more than centre-back for Newcastle.

This also has its problems, though, as it would see the less-than-rapid Burn come up against the absolutely electric Mohamed Salah.

Hall marshalled Salah very well in Newcastle’s recent Premier League loss to Liverpool, yet the Egyptian still got the better of him in the end and set up the second goal.

Additionally, Burn moving from the middle would also rely on Sven Botman – who hasn’t played since the semi-final win over Arsenal – being fit enough to play.

Howe said Botman nearly made the loss to Brighton, so it’s looking promising he will be available, even if throwing him straight back in at the deep end is far from ideal.

Formation change to 5-4-1

There’s always the chance Howe could revert back to the 5-4-1 that served Newcastle so well in the semi-final second leg victory over Arsenal.

Given Liverpool won so comfortably against the Toon’s 4-3-3 last month – though Joelinton was missing to help battle in midfield – a change in formation could be the way to go.

This formation would also require Botman to be fit, but it would work if Trippier was available or not.

Ideally, Trippier would be there on the right to lend his experience as he did against the Gunners but, if not, Matt Targett could come in on the left or a winger like Jacob Murphy could fill in in a worst-case scenario.