Mark Walker has been speaking on the Gallowgate Shots YouTube channel about how he wants to see Jamal Lewis return to the Newcastle United starting lineup.
Eddie Howe will be in the dugout at St. James’ Park for the first time as Newcastle United manager when they welcome Norwich City on Tuesday evening in what could be seen as a must-win game for both sides.
The Magpies, though, will have to find a way past the Canaries without duo Matt Ritchie and Jamaal Lascelles, who have now picked up five yellow cards and must serve a one-game suspension.
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Ritchie has started every league game this season for Newcastle, so this will provide an opportunity for someone else to step up – and that is likely to be Lewis, who has been handed just seven minutes in the league this campaign, as he is the only senior available left-back Howe has at the club.
Walker would like to see Lewis handed a first league start of the season.
He said: “It’s just an odd one, it’s one of those where he’s literally going to be the only option unless you’re playing somebody out of position. I know we’ve seen [Javier] Manquillo go and play at left-back a couple of times.
“Surely, surely, he has to come back in for that one, as you’ve just said, against his old team – he’s going to have something to prove there. But why isn’t he getting anywhere near the team?
“It’s not just under obviously the new management, he was completely isolated and left out by [Steve] Bruce.”
TIF Thoughts on Jamal Lewis…
It has been a less than pleasant time for Lewis since he swapped Norwich for Newcastle last summer in a deal that cost the Magpies £15 million, but the full-back has failed to impress, having started just 20 league games and kept a clean sheet just three times in the league when starting the match.
Now though, given Ritchie’s absence, this could be Lewis’ best chance to show he’s good enough not just for Newcastle, but for the Premier League – and there may not be a better opportunity to play the team who he used to play for and prove he was right to leave them.
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