Newcastle United’s recent form has significantly improved, despite Eddie Howe being hit with what seems like a never-ending, continuous injury crisis.
Last weekend, the Magpies picked up their first away clean sheet since January as they defeated Fulham 1-0 on the road.
However, this afternoon, St. James’ Park welcomes Tottenham Hotspur to town in what could be an entertaining tie with goals galore if all goes well.
Nonetheless, if Newcastle are to get a result out of the game, then it may mean that one attacking star returns in place of Jacob Murphy.
Jacob Murphy makes way against Spurs
Murphy has developed into such a reliable player for Howe this season, as, despite not being the first-choice right winger, he has filled in when called upon.
The 29-year-old gem has played 14 league games this campaign, scoring two goals and providing three assists, but three of those contributions did come in one game versus Crystal Palace.
Unfortunately, the winger has not been quite as impactful in recent weeks, and he struggled to get into the game at Craven Cottage, which should see him drop out of the side.
Against the Cottagers, Murphy only made nine passes, had one attempt at goal, and had a combined xG and xA of 0.02 in just over an hour of action.
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This is why Howe must ruthlessly drop the former Norwich City winger from the starting XI for this clash with Ange Postecoglou's side this afternoon.
Harvey Barnes returns to the starting lineup
Harvey Barnes’ start to life in a Newcastle shirt hasn’t exactly gone according to plan so far, but in fairness to the former Leicester City gem, it’s been due to reasons out of his control.
At the end of September, the £80k-per-week attacker picked up a foot injury that kept him out of action for 27 matches, and just one month after his return in February, he missed a further four games due to a hamstring issue.
This means that the 26-year-old has only started four Premier League games this season across 14 appearances, scoring four goals and providing two assists.
However, since overcoming that issue, Barnes has been absolutely electric, playing a vital role in the Magpies’ 4-3 win over West Ham United and the 1-1 draw against Everton.
Assists
1
Key passes
4
Big chances created
2
Shots
3
Pass accuracy
84%
As you can see from the table above showcasing his statistics from his most recent start against the Toffees, Barnes is an extremely dangerous weapon to have in attack.
Not only is the number 15 a direct threat due to his excellent shooting technique and willingness to strike at goal, but his biggest strength is arguably his creativity, which makes him such a “special talent” as per analyst Statman Dave.
Against Sean Dyche’s side, Barnes was by far Newcastle’s biggest creative outlet, assisting Alexander Isak’s goal, making four key passes, and creating two big chances.
However, the former Fox’s decision-making is also excellent, as it’s rare for him to give the ball away cheaply, which is an underrated trait because it enables his team to sustain pressure in the final third. This attribute will be vital against Spurs today, with the Magpies set to have minimal chances due to the visitors often dominating the possession statistics.
Additionally, although he wasn’t able to get on the scoresheet against Everton, he proved that he can find the back of the net out of nowhere against the Hammers, scoring a late brace to secure the three points.
Overall, Barnes is much more of a threat than Murphy, and having been rested last time out, it’s surely time for the winger to be unleashed once again, which would allow the boyhood Magpies fan to be dropped back to the bench.