OPINION
Newcastle United, much like the case was last season, have put their early season woes behind them and looked reinvigorated in 2019 in their hunt for Premier League football after the summer.
Five successive home wins have helped Rafael Benitez and his men climb away from the drop zone and into the obscurity of mid-table, which after falling into the bottom three a couple of months ago, will be a big relief.
Putting your finger on just why the Magpies look comfortable is not a clear cut task but the shake up of formation, Benitez utilising five at the back, has no doubt been a turning point.
Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles and Florian Lejeune have created one of the most formidable centre back partnerships in the bottom half of the table while Matt Ritchie has looked like a tailor made left back.
However, it seems that of the trio, Benitez might have to do without two of them for the trip to Bournemouth and perhaps beyond as serious problems mount at St James’ Park.
The Chronicle claim that with Schar missing two games due to his 10 yellow cards this season, the manager is also sweating over Lascelles’ fitness as he faces the prospect of having to change things up at the back.
Losing one would be manageable – Federico Fernandez more than capable of filling in – but losing two means Benitez has got to rip up his rulebook and revert to two at the back, his fellow countryman joining Lejeune in a four man defence.
Even if the injuries and suspension had not hit, the manager would have been wise to shake things up after a shocking first half against Everton, Paul Dummett’s return to left back seeing Ritchie move back onto the right wing and bringing balance to the squad.
Newcastle were sussed against the Toffees and the absences must twist Benitez’s arm into changing from his preferred tactic for the trip to the south coast.