Newcastle United are about to take on Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-final at the Etihad Stadium, kick-off is at 5:30pm live on BBC.
Eddie Howe has thrown up some surprises with his lineup this afternoon with what looks like it could be a change in formation.
The big talking point is that Tino Livramento, who we all assumed would be filling in for the in injured Kieran Trippier, doesn't make the side at all. We don't yet know what the reason is at the time of writing, but it appears to have caught everyone off guard.
Now, looking at the players selected, given that Jamaal Lascelles, Fabian Schar, Sven Botman and Dan Burn all appear on the roster below Jacob Murphy, there is a suggestion that Murphy and Burn will be playing wingbacks in a three-at-the-back type of formation.
Jacob Murphy as a wingback could work, but we can't be the only ones wondering what exactly Dan Burn is going to bring to that role, We may be interpreting the teamsheet wrong, the plan could be entirely different, but we are worried. Very worried.
Eddie Howe is persisting with Sean Longstaff as we predicted, despite admitting that he's playing through injury. Howe saying on Friday "If I could rest Sean I would. And I have to protect Lewis." Quite what he's protecting MIley from, we don't know? Why isn't an injured player afforded that protection? Make it make sense, Eddie!
Anthony Gordon shakes off his injury scare and returns to the lineup which is a huge boost.
Unsurprisingly, Pep Guardiola hasn't opted to give us a break and has called upon some heavy hitters to face Newcastle this afternoon.
Kevin De Bruyne misses out as expected, but City still have Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku, Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland on the pitch, and that's just some of the attacking threats.
Our lads have to get their way past Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol.
Ah well, Coventry just knocked out Wolves with two goals in stoppage time, so literally anything can happen. Howay the lads!
PL | GD | PTS | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Liverpool
|
14 | 18 | 35 |
2 |
Chelsea
|
15 | 17 | 31 |
3 |
Arsenal
|
15 | 14 | 29 |
4 |
Manchester City
|
15 | 6 | 27 |
5 |
Nottingham Forest
|
15 | 1 | 25 |
6 |
Aston Villa
|
15 | 0 | 25 |
7 |
Brighton
|
15 | 3 | 24 |
8 |
Bournemouth
|
15 | 3 | 24 |
9 |
Brentford
|
15 | 3 | 23 |
10 |
Fulham
|
15 | 2 | 23 |
11 |
Tottenham Hotspur
|
15 | 12 | 20 |
12 |
Newcastle United
|
15 | -2 | 20 |
13 |
Manchester United
|
15 | 1 | 19 |
14 |
West Ham United
|
15 | -9 | 16 |
15 |
Everton
|
14 | -7 | 14 |
16 |
Leicester
|
15 | -9 | 14 |
17 |
Crystal Palace
|
15 | -6 | 13 |
18 |
Wolves
|
15 | -14 | 10 |
19 |
Ipswich
|
15 | -13 | 9 |
20 |
Southampton
|
15 | -20 | 5 |