Newcastle United came out of Monday’s 3-2 defeat at home to Liverpool with huge respect – but no points to show for it and four players down ahead of Saturday’s 5.30pm kick-off at Leeds.
Stoppage time heartbreak aside, we lost Anthony Gordon to a red card and subsequent three-game ban, with the stand-in striker now set for another spell on the sidelines after his second dismissal of 2025.
Fabian Schar was forced off due to a concussion, with midfield duo Sandro Tonali (shoulder) and Joelinton (groin) also limping off with injuries that “don’t look good”, according to Eddie Howe’s early post-match assessment.
The good news, via Sky Sports’ Keith Downie and an Instagram post from big Joe’s wife, is that we may have avoided long-term injuries, but concussion rules will rule Schar out, with Saturday also set to come too soon for Tonali and Joelinton.
Malick Thiaw replaced Schar on Monday night and we are likely to see the former AC Milan centre-back come in for his first start of the season at Elland Road.
In midfield, Jacob Ramsey looks nailed on to step into the Joelinton role on the left side of a midfield three, with Lewis Miley primed to replace Tonali as the teenager looks to gain more first team minutes this season.
Up top, it’s tricky to say what Eddie Howe will do. With no Alexander Isak, Callum Wilson released, Gordon banned and a new striker highly unlikely to arrive before Friday’s 12pm cut-off, will the boss give Will Osula a rare start after his goal on Monday, or bring Jacob Murphy into the side, meaning Anthony Elanga in a false nine role?
A formation change may even be one to watch – Botman and Thiaw could come into a 3-5-2 which sees Barnes and Elanga paired up top – but we’ll have to get creative somehow, with at least four changes likely this weekend.