OPINION
Rafa Benitez must hand Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff his first start in a competitive game for the senior side against Nottingham Forest.
The 20-year-old midfielder dazzled when on display in the Magpies pre-season and looked to be very exciting talent capable of being a future star at the club if he continue to develop.
Longstaff impressed Benitez so much this summer than the manager ended up pulling the plug on the midfielder’s temporary exit from the club despite the Chronicle previously reporting that Portsmouth had a deal in place to borrow his services.
However given that the talented midfielder played his football in League One for Blackpool last season when on loan at the club and his only other experience of competitive senior football was from a temporary spell at Kilmarnock it’s hard to know whether he will aid Benitez’s side this season.
Playing in the Premier League would certainly be a way tougher challenge than doing well in League One and could prove too much for Longstaff even if he only made cameo appearances in the division.
So far this season Longstaff has been regularly featuring for the Magpies’ U-23s and put in a very memorable display against Sunderland’s U-23s recently to help his side win 5-0.
Given that the midfielder is looking comfortable playing for the U-23s, Benitez must unleash Longstaff in Wednesday’s League Cup game against Nottingham Forest to test his abilities.
The Championship side will no doubt field a very capable team despite them no doubt having promotion ambitions this season and if Longstaff flourishes then it will show how good he is.
However if he struggles then it shows that trying to loan him out in January to a Championship or League One side again may be the best move.
The game against Forest is the perfect fixture for Longstaff’s abilities to be tested as they’re a side playing just one level below the Magpies and one above League One which is the division the midfielder flourished in last year.
