During and after Monday night’s 1-0 win at West Ham, there were plenty of Newcastle supporters and fan accounts – us included – who noticed one glaring issue with Tino Livramento.
Forced to fill in for the injured Lewis Hall, Tino started at left-back and got into some really good positions down that flank, only to cut in regularly as he showed a clear reluctance to use his left foot.
Hall was a big miss from that perspective, but Eddie Howe has jumped to Livramento’s defence, discussing his displays down the left and what makes him key in that position ahead of Sunday’s final.
While some were concerned by his lack of attacking prowess on Monday, Eddie Howe was “delighted” with the Tino Livramento’s display at the London Stadium.
The boss believes the former Saints star is a “very, very good left-back” after filling in admirably last year and argues that he can actually be more effective on that side, despite struggling to exploit the space he was given at West Ham.
Speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle, Howe said: “I think he’s actually a very, very good left-back and I said this last year when he played there.
“I think he was outstanding in some senses – he attacked better last year off the left than he did the right and sometimes that can happen just because the angles are different.
”He’s got the athleticism that we’re going to need in that position and I’m delighted with how he played.”
That final line is certainly true and could be key to stopping Mo Salah and driving us up the pitch at the other end against Liverpool, with Tino possessing real pace and a great engine.
There is no doubt our strongest left-hand side sees Lewis Hall at left-back and Anthony Gordon on the wing, but we’ve been forced into a re-think with one suspended and the other sidelined for the season.
On Monday, Livramento kept Jarrod Bowen quiet at one end and supported Harvey Barnes at the other. End product and a lack of left foot was a problem at times, but both got into good positions and Barnes played a vital role in the goal, crossing expertly for Bruno Guimaraes’ winger.
Gordon’s pace and pressing could’ve been key against Liverpool, especially with Trent Alexander-Arnold now at risk of missing the final, but in Tino and Barnes we have one athlete capable of sticking with Mo Salah and a technically gifted Barnes who can produce those moments of quality.