Changes ahead for the Magpies
- Published
Matthew Raisbeck, BBC Radio Newcastle
The injuries are once again piling up at Newcastle with Steve Bruce unable to call on as many as six first-team players for the match at Vicarage Road.
The loss of Joe Willock to a knock sustained on the training field is a major blow and, although he is yet to score after rejoining the club the summer, his ability and energy is so critical to the midfield.
Jeff Hendrick and Ryan Fraser are among Bruce’s other options for that position, or he could move Miguel Almiron inside and bring Jacob Murphy back into the team on the wing.
There will also be a change in central defence at Watford with skipper Jamaal Lascelles unavailable because of a thigh injury. It is likely that either Federico Fernandez or Fabian Schar will replace him.
Bruce switched from a back five to a four-man defence after going a goal down against Leeds last week and it helped the Magpies come back to earn a point.
In his pre-match news conference, he suggested they could start that way tomorrow. Putting an extra player - probably Isaac Hayden, again - in midfield would be seen as a positive move by supporters.
Newcastle have never won at Watford in the Premier League but this would be a good time to change that. With a trip to Wolves - another club that has started slowly - next week, they have an opportunity to climb out of the relegation zone before the next international break.