Newcastle United team news as they face Crystal Palace in Premier League
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Eddie Howe has had the best part of three weeks to come up with a tactical plan for Newcastle United's trip to Crystal Palace this weekend - but still has a number of selection headaches.
The continued absence of Bruno Guimaraes and Fabian Schar is a blow but Lewis Miley and Sandro Tonali are fit, while Sven Botman is also in the frame after his facial fracture.
There are dilemmas everywhere for Howe as he looks to get his starting XI right for the first game of a crucial seven-match run-in. Who starts in goal? Does Anthony Gordon lead the line or is there a role for Nick Woltemade?
We asked our NUFC writers for their verdicts on how they would line up at Selhurst Park.
Lee Ryder
I'd start with a change in goalkeeper at Palace. Nick Pope will surely have got his Everton mistake out of his system two months ago now.
Tino Livramento would be one of the first names on the team sheet with Newcastle now thinking about life after Kieran Trippier following his exit announcement. Malick Thiaw and Dan Burn make up the centre-back pairing despite Sven Botman's return from a facial injury.
With no Bruno Guimaraes on the plane my midfield three would be Sandro Tonali, Joelinton and Joe Willock. Harvey Barnes starts on the left and Jacob Murphy on the opposite flank with Anthony Gordon through the middle.
Given form, confidence and injuries, I genuinely think this is Newcastle's best available XI.
My NUFC XI: Pope, Livramento, Thiaw, Burn, Hall, Joelinton, Tonali, Willock, Barnes, Murphy, Gordon
Sean McCormick
I would make this the weekend to recall Nick Pope to the starting XI and I believe whichever goalkeeper gets the nod at Selhurst Park has to be the number one choice for the final seven games to give the backline some continuity.
Tino Livramento should end the season as first-choice right-back while I would still back Dan Burn to start at centre-half above Sven Botman.
The big call will come in midfield and in the absence of Bruno Guimaraes, I would start with Lewis Miley, as opposed to Jacob Ramsey or Joe Willock, alongside Sandro Tonali and Joelinton.
And while I would like to see Nick Woltemade used as a forward again between now and the end of the season I believe Anthony Gordon remains the best bet to lead the line for Newcastle up front, with him being flanked by Anthony Elanga and Harvey Barnes on the wings.
My NUFC XI: Pope; Livramento, Thiaw, Burn, Hall; Miley, Tonali, Joelinton; Elanga, Barnes; Gordon
Ross Gregory
I really can't make my mind up between Pop and Ramsdale in goal. Neither fill me with confidence at the minute and while Eddie Howe may not say it publicly, I bet he's thinking it privately too. I'll go for Pope as at least he makes saves. In front of him, the defence picks itself with Tino Livramento given the chance to now stake his claim for a World Cup spot.
Throwing Lewis Miley straight back in after two months out seems a bit extreme, so I'd start him on the bench. He has a big role to play between now and the end of the season.
And up top, I want to see Nick Woltemade given a run in his best position, flanked by Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes who can get close to him so he's not so isolated.
My NUFC XI Pope; Livramento, Thiaw, Burn, Hall, Tonali, Joelinton, Ramsey, Barnes, Gordon; Woltemade
Stuart Jamieson
The three weeks off may have recharged batteries, but it does not mean the performance against Sunderland will have been forgotten, so I want to see changes to the side, starting in goal.
Aaron Ramsdale may not have made the high-profile mistakes of Nick Pope, but I can't help feeling the defence is more assured with the No 1 behind them - and that weak punch for Sunderland's first goal was perhaps underplayed.
Regardless of Tino Livramento's future plans, he needs to start matches, but with Fabian Schar still out the rest of the back four pretty much picks itself. Sandro Tonali and Lewis Miley are welcome additions to the midfield alongside Joelinton and although Jacob Ramsey had been showing better form, he misses out along with 'midfielder' Nick Woltemade.
Only Anthony Gordon is in any sort of form up front, but Howe appears to have little option but to persevere with the England man in the No 9 role, with Harvey Barnes wide. It's a toss up between Anthony Elanga and Jacob Murphy on the right, with neither doing much to warrant a place of late, so I'm going for the more reliable Murphy.
My NUFC XI: Pope, Livramento, Thiaw, Burn, Hall, Tonali, Miley, Joelinton, Murphy, Barnes, Gordon.