It’s still early in the season but the week ahead for Newcastle United could be defining.
Newcastle United’s away form leaves a lot to be desired but three home games in the space of just over a week offers Eddie Howe a chance to build a platform.
Indeed, on Tuesday, the Champions League returns to St James’ Park as Newcastle host Benfica.
After that, Newcastle host Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday before continuing their Carabao Cup defence at home to Tottenham eight days after Benfica’s visit.
Win those three games and the narrative at Newcastle will undergo a positive shift. It all starts with the visit of Jose Mourinho and the Lisbon giants and Howe needs to play his best possible team.
Sadly, that should not include Joelinton or Anthony Elanga.
Eddie Howe during the Premier League match between Brighton and Newcastle United.
Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Joelinton and Anthony Elanga should be dropped for Newcastle United
Howe has leaned heavily on a rotational policy at Newcastle this season as they battle across a number of fronts.
Changes are expected but the aforementioned pair certainly shouldn’t keep their place. After Saturday’s defeat at Brighton, the Newcastle United manager confirmed his decision to take them off at half-time was purely a tactical reason rather than due to any injuries.
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Asked about those ruthless calls, he said (via BBC Radio Newcastle): “Yeah, they’re fine [injury wise].”
That should concern the duo. Lewis Miley and Jacob Ramsey look capable of stepping in for Joelinton, while Jacob Murphy showed much more than Elanga after he replaced the Swede at the break.
Newcastle have to begin this run in positive fashion. Three home games offer the chance to build something and Howe needs much more from most of his players right now.
It’s not to say that neither Joelinton nor Elanga can contribute going forward. For now, however, they must come out of the firing line altogether rather than just being replaced mid-game.
They are desperately out of form and it’s not working for either so far this season.
PIF have demanded Champions League success at Newcastle United this season
It’s a big game on Tuesday, with PIF setting an expectation that Newcastle should qualify for the Champions League’s first phase.
The Magpies got their European campaign up and running with a 4-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise at the start of the month but have to follow that up here.
Frankly, there’s little reason as to why Newcastle can’t win all their home games in the Champions League this season now that the Barcelona clash has been and gone.
They all look winnable and while the looming spectre of Mourinho will take many of the headlines, Benfica themselves have been in poor form in this competition.
Not picking up three points on Tuesday would be extremely disappointing.