OPINION
There were very few positives to take from Newcastle United’s 2-0 defeat to Leicester City and it’s clear Rafa Benitez needs to mix things up.
The only issue with the Magpies making changing to their first-team line-up is that the Spanish manager doesn’t exactly have a lot of options to chose from.
However it should be blindingly obvious that the Magpies’ main point of concern is finding a way to be more of an attacking threat.
Benitez’ team failed to register a shot on target during the second-half of their clash with the Foxes and it’s unacceptable.
The Magpies are crying out for a player who actively tries to take a game by the scruff of the neck and force things to happen and they actually have a player currently not being properly utilised who fits that mould.
Enter Yoshinori Muto.
The summer recruit is no doubt still adjusting to life in the Premier League but he has shown glimpses during cameo appearances that he has the skill set to force breakthroughs.
Muto was brought on as a substitute in the 69th minute of the clash with the Foxes, meaning he has played a total of 86 minutes in England’s top-flight across six appearances, and struggled to turn the tide in his side’s favour.
This is because a lot of his teammates had already dropped their heads and resigned themselves to picking up another defeat, also it was only four minutes after Muto entered the game that Leicester City defender Harry Maguire killed any hope of a comeback by making it 2-0 for his side.
Muto if played from the start of games and given a significant amount of minutes could be the attacking presence the Magpies are desperate for.
The 26-year-old scored 10 goals in 30 appearances for FSV Mainz 05 last season and clearly has the talent to be a threat in a top division.
Therefore Benitez must unleash Muto from the start of games as soon as possible because as it stands the Magpies are crying out for a player exactly like him to end their run of bad form.
