Premier League offer Newcastle United goalkeeper situation guidance as they prepare to take unprecedented step

Never has the number of goalkeepers set to be named in a Premier League squad been the cause of such controversial conversation - but it has around Newcastle United this summer.

At the end of this week, ahead of the Magpies’ Premier League trip to Old Trafford to take on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Manchester United, Steve Bruce will name the 25 players he will use as part of his top flight squad.

And to be honest, it won’t take much selecting, given he has only 25 eligible players to fill the available slots.

Four of those are goalkeepers - and in an unprecedented Premier League step, United are set to name the quartet in 25.

Here we take a look at why United have come to this conclusion - and how they could have potentially avoided it, with some added guidance by the Premier League.

Who are the four goalkeepers?

Newcastle United have goalkeepers who are eligible to be named in the Magpies’ Premier League squad.

Current incumbent of the No.1 jersey, Freddie Woodman, United’s regular No.2 Karl Darlow as well as usual first choice Martin Dubravka and fourth choice Mark Gillespie.

Why are United set to name all four in their squad?

United have had an unfortunate time with keepers this summer.

Slovak Dubravka returned to United already injured from his Euro 2020 exploits. A setback means he remains on the sidelines. Mid-October has been set as a conservative estimate for his return. It could, however, be later.

And the man who would usually stand in for Dubravka, Darlow has had a particularly bad bout of Covid. It saw him hospitalised for the best part of a week earlier this summer. As a result he has been on the recovery trail all summer and is only just now getting back towards full fitness. He might even make the matchday squad on Saturday.

Those issues resulted in Bruce cancelling a loan move for Woodman to Championship Bournemouth, even after the player had travelled down and done his medical. The former Swansea City stopper has played the Magpies’ first four games of the season.

Gillespie is, of course a back up, while youngster Dan Langley could have stepped up, but has no first-team experience.

That left Bruce with a decision to make - take a risk with three or name four to cover all bases?

The four does leave him a player short in the first-team unit, mind. And ideally he’d have wanted to fill that fourth keeper spot with an outfield player, probably another midfielder.

Cynics would argue naming four keepers is a penny-pinching exercise by the club, and due to having a full quota of players meant they didn’t have to push the boat out in the final days of the window for a new signing, as per Bruce’s wishes. Who am I to argue with history, mind? There is precedent to support the cynics’ view.

Could United have avoided naming four? Precedent & Premier League guidance...

Yes. And this would ultimately have made the most sense.

Rarely has a Premier League side needed more than three goalkeepers at first-team level in the season. And often when this has been the case the fourth is often a player signed in from outside.

Given goalkeeper is a specialist position and skill set, there is precedent for club’s being allowed to sign other keepers either on loan or adding free agents to their squad in order to have a full set of goalies available for a Premier League fixture.

This would only usually happen if players in that position were injured. Covid could also prove a deciding factor in the current climate.

Had United decided to name three and suffered, for example, an injury crisis they would be able to apply for dispensation to sign another keeper outside the window boundaries.

When asked by NewcastleWorld, the Premier League advised these requests are required to be ratified by the Premier League board but are rarely, if ever, rejected due to the nature of the claim.

Newcastle United’s expected 25-man Premier League squad

GOALKEEPERS: Martin Dubravka, Karl Darlow, Mark Gillespie, Freddie Woodman

DEFENDERS: Javier Manquillo, Jamal Lewis, Jamaal Lascelles, Ciaran Clark, Fabian Schar, Federico Fernandez, Emil Krafth, Paul Dummett

MIDFIELDERS: Isaac Hayden, Jonjo Shelvey, Sean Longstaff, Jeff Hendrick, Miguel Almiron, Ryan Fraser, Joe Willock, Matt Ritchie, Jacob Murphy

FORWARDS: Callum Wilson, Joelinton, Dwight Gayle, Allan Saint-Maximin