Newcastle United player withdrawn from squad v Marseille - trained on Monday
Newcastle United starting XI and subs for their Champions League clash away to Marseille.
Eddie Howe has made three changes to his Newcastle United starting XI for tonight’s Champions League clash in Marseille.
Newcastle beat Manchester City on Saturday and travel to Everton this weekend looking to record back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time since April.
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The Magpies have made a slow start to the league campaign, sitting 14th after 12 matches. But the Champions League has been a different story, winning three of their opening four matches to put them level on points with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.
Newcastle United starting XI v Marseille
Howe’s side need to finish inside the top 24 to qualify for the knockout stages and would all but guarantee a play-off place with a victory at the Stade Velodrome this evening.
Managing the busy schedule, Howe recalled Anthony Gordon, Joe Willock and Dan Burn in place of Nick Woltemade, Joelinton and Lewis Hall.
Howe hinted at changes during his pre-match press conference, telling NewcastleWorld: “As I've said many, many times this season, I think there's an element where trusting the squad is really important. We've got some very, very good players who will be desperate to play as well.
“I do trust everybody and I think we have the depth to play these games. I think by playing the same players in every game will not help us achieve our objective. But every game is different. The challenge is different. Certain players will suit certain games.”
Newcastle United player left out of squad despite travelling
Gordon and Burn return to the XI after missing the Man City win, however Emil Krafth is once again absent.
The Swede travelled to the South of France with his teammates and was spotted in training at the Stade Velodrome on Monday night, though isn’t named in the squad due to injury.
Newcastle United XI: Nick Pope, Fabian Schär, Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon, Harvey Barnes, Malick Thiaw, Tino Livramento, Jacob Murphy, Joe Willock, Dan Burn, Bruno Guimarâes
Substitutes: Max Thompson, Aaron Ramsdale, Lewis Hall, Sven Botman, Joelinton, Anthony Elanga, Nick Woltemade, Alex Murphy, Jacob Ramsey, Lewis Miley, Sam Alabi
Eddie Howe previews Newcastle United v Marseille
Speaking about the game, Howe added: “We just want to win the game. I don't know about looking too far ahead in terms of qualification and rotating the team later in the competition. Of course, if we're able to do that, then great but at the moment, we're still very much in the thick of the Champions League. It's still everything's an option for us.
“ We've just got to try and win each game and this will be a very, very difficult game in a testing environment for us. We're looking forward to the challenge that will bring us. The stadium is incredible, really great place to play football. I'm sure the atmosphere will be red-hot.
“I think there's a lot of similarities, really, between the atmosphere, as I've told here, to St James' Park, so I think we know the full force of the crowd when we are playing well and when we're at home, the energy and the lift that can give the players.
“We're potentially going to have that working against us in this game, but I think that should really make us prepare well, make us alive for minute one in this game, because if we're not, it would be very difficult.
“We need to impose ourselves in the game, we need to implement our plan well and if we can do that, then, of course, you can rise and use the conditions to your favour.”