Allan Saint-Maximin is fighting for a place in Eddie Howe’s starting XI with Southampton and Chelsea next up for Newcastle United. There’s no doubting the Frenchman’s impact going forward but there’s also a feeling he could play a key role defensively over the next few games.
There is no suggestion that Saint-Maximin is to become a wing-back, nor suddenly adopt a defensively dominating side to his game, but anyone who watched Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Brighton could not have failed to notice the winger's defensive input. Of course, ‘defensive input’ is written in the loosest of terms with the Frenchman’s best form of defence being attack.
With Brighton applying pressure to Newcastle, Saint-Maximin was introduced just after the hour mark and was vital in relieving pressure from an under siege United backline. In 24 minutes, Saint-Maximin clocked up only 13 ‘carries’ - this is where the player controls the ball and moves with it, but what stands out is that in that time his carrying of the ball saw him go further than any other Newcastle player.
