'I think' - Eddie Howe hints at key Newcastle United shift that will unlock unique opportunity

Newcastle United don’t yet know if Anthony Gordon will be available for the Carabao Cup final.

To appeal or not to appeal is the question on the lips of many at present, with the merits being weighed up. Could any appeal open up the possibility of a further ‘frivolous’ punishment coming the way of the player and club? Or is the final so key that Newcastle risk all of that anyway in order to open up the door to the possibility of one of their very best being available on their biggest of days?

Chances are we won’t have to wait to long to find out. And if, as expected, Gordon is forced to sit out three games for what has been deemed by the officiating fraternity of the Premier League as ‘violent conduct’, I’ve seen worse pushes in the post-match throng to exit St James’ Park, then a window of opportunity opens up for another.

And head coach Eddie Howe has every faith whoever is called upon - and there are two obvious candidates to replace the England winger - will take it, as he believes he has ‘very good’ players in his squad.

“Well, I think if Anthony is missing the game, then, of course, that would be a big blow to us,” said Howe in the aftermath of the 2-1 extra-time loss to Brighton and Hove Albion in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

“But as always, the cliché, when someone else suffers a misfortune in that way, it's someone else's opportunity. And I think that's what we have a squad for. That's what we have very good players for. So I think we have to look at it that way.

“And I'm sure Anthony would want us to look at it that way. He would want us to, in his absence, carry on and be really strong and try and win the game.”

Without Gordon, the Carabao Cup final on March 16 creates the most unique of opportunities for someone in the Newcastle squad.

Harvey Barnes started the game and the most obvious like-for-like, if you could find one, for Gordon. But Howe has used another one of Newcastle’s versatile pack on the left before, and might well do so again.

During the run to the Champions League in 2022/23, Joe Willock and Joelinton dovetailed quite brilliantly down the left, switching and swirling to create havoc to all who encountered them. Now, it’s fair to say that was a while back - and Willock hasn’t played a whole lot of football in-between - but it might well be a viable alternative for Howe, who could even just use his Brazilian powerhouse as a wideman and tuck youngster Lewis Miley inside.

For Barnes it would be a remarkable opening, especially given Howe has so often turned to Gordon ahead of him in the last 18 months. For Miley, at 18, it would be the stuff of fairytales, while Joelinton and Willock could exorcise the ghosts of two years back. Joelinton was hooked at half-time as Newcastle went in search of goals, while Willock played just 12 minutes at the death when it was all said and done.

Joelinton himself has only just returned to action, but Howe is happy with the player’s progress.

“Yeah, I think he's OK,” said Howe, whose side don’t play again until Monday, where they travel to West Ham United.

“I think I planned for him to play around 60 minutes. That was his maximum with the training that he's had. But I thought he looked physically really good today.”

In other news, Mo Salah posts cheeky Newcastle United message before Carabao Cup final.