Eddie Howe admits some fringe players will be 'hugely disappointed' not to have taken their chance in the first-team after Newcastle United's 2-1 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday. The Magpies fielded a slightly weakened team for the FA Cup clash as Howe sought to give key men a well-deserved break before the Carabao Cup quarter-final on Tuesday.
Javier Manquillo, Elliot Anderson, Matt Ritchie, Jamaal Lascelles and Jamal Lewis were all given rare outings from the outset at Hillsborough but failed to grasp their chance as Newcastle crashed out of the competition at the first opportunity. Since the loss, a wealth of the Geordie faithful have urged Howe to improve his squad depth this month.
The Newcastle boss himself says he saw flashes of positivity from his team selection but admits 'some weren't so good'. "I'm sure they'll be hugely disappointed, as we all are," Howe told BBC Radio Newcastle at full-time.
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"When you're a footballer and you haven't played the minutes you want to, you wait for moments and chances to impress me, the supporters and everyone connected to the football club. I thought there was some bright spots from some of those players that came in and maybe some that weren't so good but we'll try and analyse everything properly."
Some players who started on Saturday evening are facing uncertain long-term futures on Tyneside. Both Lewis and Lascelles have had to patiently wait for opportunities to play after spending a significant amount of time on the sidelines of late.
Manquillo faces another spell without first-team minutes while Kieran Trippier stays fit, while Elliot Anderson has struggled with minor injuries all season, subsequently limiting his first-team availability.
For the likes of Chris Wood and Jacob Murphy, who have played a big part in Newcastle's success this term, each and every game is crucial as they battle to ensure they have a future at St James' Park amid the inevitable big-name arrivals.
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