When Eddie Howe was asked about the absence of senior players from the squad following the Carabao Cup win over Bournemouth, his response underlined one of the Magpies’ key priorities going into the January transfer window.
The likes of Loris Karius and Ryan Fraser, the latter of whom having not made a competitive appearance since October, were left out of Newcastle’s return to action following the World Cup break, though Howe admitted the absentees were ‘fine’ and not injured.
It’s a trend that is likely to continue should the Magpies fail to trim their squad over January, as established names struggle to find minutes in a group that’s only going to get stronger as windows pass. Should United continue their impressive Champions League push into the new year, minutes for fringe players will become even more rare.
