Facing a tough trip to Birmingham for their Premier League season opener, Newcastle United will visit Aston Villa on Saturday, with an attacking crisis to resolve.
For several days, Eddie Howe has been dealing with the fallout from Alexander Isak’s very public request to leave, and the Sweden star is not available this weekend.
Fellow striker Callum Wilson has already left for West Ham United, while Howe’s most likely option to fill in, Anthony Gordon, faces a fitness test. If the latter is not cleared to play, then Will Osula might be handed a rare chance.
Still, the Magpies have multiple fresh faces who could make their club debuts, having added Aaron Ramsdale, Anthony Elanga, Seung-Soo Park and ex-Milan defender Malick Thiaw to their squad so far this summer.
Despite Sean Longstaff’s departure – and an injury to Joe Willock – Newcastle are still well stocked in midfield, where rising star Lewis Miley must scrap for selection alongside Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton.
New boy Elanga is likely to feature on the right wing, so Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy seem to be fighting for one place; Villa’s Jacob Ramsey could soon be joining them.
Elsewhere, Nick Pope should beat Ramsdale to selection between the posts, and it remains to be seen which two of four contenders are paired at centre-back.
Newcastle United possible starting lineup: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Elanga, Gordon, Barnes
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