An unprecedented winter World Cup may have placed your Newcastle United fix on ice but there are still plenty of talking points to digest. England are capturing the imagination of football fans across the country as club loyalties are put aside for a month of festivities.
While Gareth Southgate and Co aim to bring it home, Eddie Howe is meticulously planning for the Premier League’s resumption on Boxing Day. The Toon boss will take his squad to Saudi Arabia in the coming days for warm-weather training - a decision that proved a masterstroke last year.
Visiting the Middle East in January was outlined as a contributing factor to Newcastle’s miraculous survival. Building a positive team spirit has been at the forefront of Howe’s Tyneside revival and another trip away provides the platform to do just that.
READ MORE: Three ways Alexander Isak can get back into NUFC's starting XI post World Cup
A fixture against local side Al-Hilal will be the first time United have taken to the field since the 1-0 triumph over Chelsea. ChronicleLive has profiled the key areas of discussion to keep note of before the Magpies jet off for some sunshine.
Isak return
In August, it would have been unfathomable to think of Newcastle sitting third in the Premier League without their marquee arrival - but that is exactly what has unfolded. Isak has only featured three times for United since his record-breaking move from Real Sociedad.
An explosive debut at Anfield - where the Swede scored a superb opener and had another ruled out for offside - is what supporters are clinging onto ahead of his return. The 23-year-old suffered a thigh injury while on international duty and was always expected to be out until the World Cup break.
It is perhaps cruel to suggest, but Newcastle’s exceptional form made supporters somewhat forget about Isak’s injury. Nevertheless, Howe now has a weapon up his sleeve for the remainder of the campaign.
Fringers players get golden chance
Several key Newcastle players will miss the Saudi Arabia trip and the Carabao Cup clash against Bournemouth. England trio Kieran Trippier, Callum Wilson and Nick Pope are not expected to feature while Fabian Schar and Bruno Guimaraes have also qualified for the World Cup knockout stages.
That quintet would all be considered first-team starters for Howe - allowing others to stake their claim. The likes of captain Jamaal Lascelles and Javier Manquillo have lost their places since the Saudi-backed takeover.
Chris Wood deputised for Wilson while the Toon number nine was injured earlier this year but has seen chances difficult to come by this season. A front three of Isak, Saint-Maximin and Wood - or even Almiron - is still an intriguing prospect for Howe to consider.
Transfer talk
The transfer window is set to open in just four weeks. Howe, alongside Dan Ashworth and Steve Nickson, will likely already have a good idea of potential targets.
Another trip to the Middle East gives the Magpies’ boss an ideal opportunity to cast his eye over the squad. As mentioned, those on World Cup duty are first-team regulars but the bulk of the ones remaining are fighting for their St James’ Park futures.
Newcastle will be looking to close the gap on the Premier League big boys with each passing window so do not expect the hierarchy to take time off in January. The World Cup also provides players with the perfect stage to audition for a Newcastle move.
PSV sensation Cody Gakpo - previously linked with the Magpies - is ripping up the tournament as joint-top goalscorer. James Maddison, too, is on England duty but is yet to add to his solitary England cap.
ASM impact and fitness
Allan Saint-Maximin has endured an indifferent start to 2022-23. Electric performances against Manchester and Wolverhampton Wanderers showed plenty of promise but a hamstring injury stopped him in his tracks.
Since then, the Frenchman has barely featured, making just one start in the Carabao Cup clash with Crystal Palace. Similarly to Isak, the Magpies’ form - and the improved Miguel Almiron - made Saint-Maxmin’s return an afterthought before the break.
A player once viewed as indispensable to Newcastle now has a fight on his hands to regain a first-team place. There is no doubt a fully-fit Saint-Maximin can propel Howe’s side to new heights but, after three-and-a-half years on Tyneside, fans want to see him kick on. As a non-international player, he should get his chance to shine once competitive action returns in the cup on December 21.
Momentum… momentum… momentum…
The World Cup came at the worst possible time for Newcastle, having won eight of their last nine games in all competitions. But Howe will not be able to gauge where his squad are physically until they report for duty this week.
Hopefully, players have not indulged too much in the past month and are ready to hit the ground running from the off. Pre-World Cup form goes out the window once the season resumes but Toon supporters will be hoping their club can pick up where they left off.
Momentum has already been crucial under Howe these past 12 months. On two separate occasions, Newcastle have looked unbeatable, playing with intensity while keeping a solid defensive shape.
“Our identity is intensity” is the philosophy instilled into the squad and any mid-season slackers will likely be whipped back into shape. Rediscovering - or sustaining - the form that elevated Newcastle up to third in the table is priority number one.
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