It seems almost implausible that Rafa Benitez, a fierce advocate of regular squad rotation, won’t name the same staring XI that vanquished Manchester United for the match against Bournemouth on Saturday.
We all know Benitez as a manager that prefers to keep his players, supporters and the opposition second-guessing his lineups, one that would be unperturbed about altering a team that defeated the current second best club in the Premier League.
Newcastle could realistically overtake 10th-placed Bournemouth this weekend should they win by two or more goals at the Vitality Stadium and possibly put some clear daylight between themselves and the bottom three, with trips to Liverpool and Tottenham on the horizon.
Three points is an absolute must.
And while Benitez may be tempted to tinker with the XI that inspired United to such an important and uplifting win a fortnight ago, there are cases for certain players to retain their places this weekend based on their performance against the expensively assembled Red Devils.
Click here to find out who the three players are that should definitely be starting against Bournemouth on Saturday.
