Premier League outfit Newcastle United will be looking to build on their 0-0 draw against Burnley on the weekend when they take on West Bromwich Albion in the fifth round of the FA Cup later this week. The Magpies put up an excellent defensive display against the Clarets, in a fixture where the away side weren’t allowed a single shot on target. Despite having to get through a replay in the last round, Steve Bruce will be confident about securing progress on the first attempt this time around.
The gaffer shifted to a back four against Burnley on the weekend, presumably to counter Sead Dyche’s dangerous attacking system. Despite this though, expect Steve Bruce to stick to his guns and deploy the back four once again when they take on the Baggies. A trip to the Hawthorns is never an easy task for any team, but given that the Magpies are a side fighting to get into the top half of the Premier League table, they could end up having too much firepower in the end.
Team News
For all the good vibes currently floating around St. James’ Park, the biggest worry for the fans and staff alike will be the perpetually growing injury list. Emil Krafth and Ciaran Clark are two key defensive names that have been ruled out of contention for this fixture. Although Valentino Lazaro picked up a red card in the league, he is likely to return to the squad for this cup tie. Jetro Willems and Paul Dummett also remain on the sidelines, while Andy Carroll is inching towards a return in the background.
Predicted 4-4-2 Newcastle United Lineup Vs West Bromwich Albion
Formation: 4-4-2
Defence
Martin Dubravka has been the undisputed shot-stopper at Tyneside for a while now and considering just how important this tournament is to Steve Bruce; he’s unlikely to be rotated. In front of the regular custodian, the two unused defensive substitutes from the weekend game against Burnley – Fabian Schar and Florian Lejeune, should get the nod. While Danny Rose is expected to continue down the left flank, DeAndre Yedlin could come into the right-sided role.
Midfield
Allan Saint-Maximin was only used as a substitute against Burnley on the weekend, and the trickster is likely to come back into the starting eleven for this fixture. Miguel Almiron expected to return to his regular role on the other flank. In midfield, Sean Longstaff and Nabil Bentaleb could both return to Steve Bruce’s side, with Jonjo Shelvey and Issac Hayden set to drop down to the bench.
Attack
Joelinton had a frustrating evening against a resolute Burnley defence on the weekend, but expect the young Brazilian to keep his place in the Newcastle United front-line. Former Baggies loanee Dwight Gayle is the player that Steve Bruce is likely to partner Joelinton up with. Despite Andy Carroll’s possible return to fitness, expect the manager to stick to his guns in terms of attacking.
