Newcastle United look to bounce back from their disappointing defeat to Crystal Palace last time out on Friday night with a visit to Leicester City – and there should be five changes made by manager Rafael Benitez to his starting XI.
The Magpies should have got something against the Eagles, their profligacy in front of goal costing them as DeAndre Yedlin ended up conceding a match defining penalty to leave the St James’ Park faithful leaving with the taste of defeat in their mouths.
There were a number of under-performers last weekend, the American international the chief culprit, and Benitez should be looking at shaking things up for the visit to the King Power Stadium.
With Florian Lejeune out for the season, he should be joined by Yedlin, Jamaal Lascelles, Ayoze Perez and Seung-yeung Ki in being axed from the line up, with Federico Fernandez, Kenedy, Paul Dummett, Mohamed Diame and Jonjo Shelvey taking their places.
Kenedy and Shelvey have both been rarely seen this season due to form and injury, while the other trio have found themselves in and out the starting XI.
What will the changes do to Newcastle?
Sticking with five at the back makes sense for Benitez against a Leicester side who can carve teams apart, so suffocating their space is crucial to success. Dummett and Fernandez are solid options who are more likely to cope with what the Foxes are going to through, Lascelles more prone to errors under pressure.
However, moving Ritchie to right back and putting Kenedy in on the left brings a much needed attacking element to both sides, with the Magpies likely to be focusing on counter attacks to get their goals.
A midfield trio of Diame, Shelvey and Isaac Hayden means every base is covered, with the dynamism of the former and ball winning capabilities of the latter allowing Newcastle’s passing maestro to do what he does best.
What about the rest?
Everyone knows they have to pull their socks up after defeat to Palace.
Martin Dubravka did little wrong between the sticks, while Fabian Schar is the only certain starter at the back despite his return culminating in a loss
Up front, Miguel Almiron and Salomon Rondon are going to be expected to provide an outlet for the Magpies to counter attack from, and playing the Paraguayan just off the Venezuelan could bring the best out of both of them.