'Totally agree with you': Alan Shearer concurs with Micah Richards over Newcastle Untied's team selection

It's two wins in two games for Newcastle United now which goes along with Alexander Isak's three goals in three games.

Eddie Howe has been making tweaks to his starting lineups all season in a bid to find the right formula and while the two teams from Wednesday night and Saturday afternoon weren't the same in terms of personnel, there was a familiarity between them.

Namely, Anthony Gordon playing on the right with Joelinton on the left, and in the middle of the park only playing one of either Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali.

It may seem strange leaving one of the two best midfielders in the league on the bench when both are available, but it has worked twice now, so Howe may need to find a way to alternate between the two of them as playing them together hasn't been working.

Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Micah Richards spoke about how there seems to be balance in the side now with Gordon on the right.

"Would you stick with that team now, Alan going forward? I was doing it on Match of the Day yesterday just talking about the balance of the team.

"Ideally you'd like Gordon on the left because he's more dangerous, but when he's putting crosses in like that from the right, the balance of the team looked a little bit stronger, I thought."

Alan Shearer was nodding along while Big Meeks was speaking and ultimately said he agreed with what he was saying.

"Totally agree with you, yeah, i think that was key to how Newcastle played, the balance of the midfield and the balance of the front three. Joelinton put a shift in on the left hand side. I thought it was much better. Eddie's been searching for that right balance and he's struggled to find it.

"I thought because of what happened on Wednesday night in the Carabao with Newcastle beating Chelsea, there was signs then that the energy was back and everything that they were looking for, searching for it was nearly there on Wednesday and if they could carry that into the game against Arsenal and they did that. You were absolutely right last night, the balance looked spot on, so yeah I'd stick with that if everyone's fit, definitely."