A huge day awaits at St James’ Park as Newcastle United take on Everton in today’s 4pm kick-off.
Eddie Howe vs David Moyes and the chance to secure Champions League football and at least fourth place with a win, but who starts and what formation will Howe go for?
Here’s how our thoughts on Newcastle’s potential line up, whether it’s another 3-4-3 or a return to Howe’s favoured 4-3-3:
Howe admitted on Friday morning that Kieran Trippier was in a similar position to Alexander Isak; both hadn’t trained fully but they had a chance of making it.
Well, in a potentially telling move this morning, Trippier did his usual pre-match post on Instagram gearing up to the game, which is something he tends to do when fit and available for the matchday squad.
Based on that and Trippier’s importance, I think he starts. But is that as a wing-back in a 3-4-3 – our formation over the last two games – or at full-back in a 4-3-3?
A 3-4-3 with Trippier at RWB means one of Murphy, Gordon or Barnes would likely miss out, while Trippier at RB in a 4-3-3 means a centre-back misses out to make space for that third midfielder.
Based on those options and my belief that Isak WILL start, this is my best guess with both formations in mind:
**Option 1 – 3-4-3**: Pope – Schar, Botman, Burn – Trippier, Bruno, Tonali, Livramento – Murphy, Isak, Gordon.
**Option 2 – 4-3-3:** Pope – Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento – Bruno, Tonali, Willock – Murphy, Isak, Gordon.
Both feel very harsh on Barnes and Botman would be unlucky to miss out in a four man defence, but Schar and Burn seem unlikely to be broken up at this late stage.
As for Barnes, the fact he was the one shifted to the right in the last two games tells me Gordon is Howe’s preferred option on the left when both are fit.