Newcastle United fans are unlikely to see Achraf Lazaar feature for the side any time soon despite the surprise twist of him returning to first team training and senior star Paul Dummett worryingly suffering an injury blow on international duty, according to journalist Lee Ryder.
The Chronicle writer claims on the newspaper’s live blog (18/11, 11:32) that Dummett, who pulled out of the Wales squad after limping off in his national side’s last outing, seems to be a doubt for the Magpies on the other side of the two week gap in fixtures and outlined who was on course to replace him in the starting XI.
The reporter states that winger Kenedy and Javier Manquillo are both options but that a shock sighting for Lazaar, who was cast out of the senior side before surprisingly returning under Rafael Benitez, is not likely.
Opinion
There are few positions where Newcastle have less depth in than at left back, where Dummett is the only natural option – apart from Lazaar. Kenedy is quite evidently a winger who has been forced into a wing-back role on occasion and Manquillo is a right back who has already shown his struggles with adapting on the other flank of the defence. Lazaar might not have been in Benitez’s plans for this season so far but it seems things are changing as he fights his way back into contention. He does not appear to have done enough to warrant getting a seriously shock start but at the same time, as the only other person who has been trained naturally as a left back throughout his career, it might well prove to be an option for the Spanish manager. Newcastle fans would be stunned if they saw the Moroccan international play for the club again – so can he force a way to reinstate himself among Benitez’s squad? Only time will tell, but Dummett’s injury will not hurt his chances.