Pro 2: Plan B

Still, with his lack of pace in mind, there is also an argument that Downing could provide a much-needed Plan B.

Part of the reason the Magpies keep either losing or drawing in tight games is due to the fact they often run out of ideas, so the idea of pairing Downing’s pin-point deliveries with Daryl Murphy or Aleksandar Mitrovic’s ariel presence is a promising one.