Newcastle v Leicester cup Game – By Simon Mack

Changes are afoot for both sides tonight in this all Premier Carabao Cup clash.

Jonjo Shelvey could return for the magpies, but with 6 other injury concerns Newcastle manager Steve Bruce has alluded to not risking players tonight who are carrying slight knocks.

Bruce has been lamenting his concern at his lack of attacking options, and Japanese forward Yoshinori Muto is likely to lead the front line.

19 year old Matty Longstaff also has a chance to feature tonight having impressed in the magpies preseason. By Bruce’s own admission he’d never heard of the lad prior to his appointment at the club. Longstaff hasn’t featured in Premier League squads to date, but with Newcastle looking to protect some of their squad Longstaff’s impressive form could see Bruce give him a chance.

Predicted Newcastle side:
(5-4-1) Darlow, Dummett, Fernandez, Clark, Manquillo, Willem, Ki, Longstaff, Shelvey, Hayden, Muto

The Foxes come into this clash unbeaten to date and on the back of a determined victory against a motivated Sheffield United side at the weekend.

Leicester are winners of this competition back in 2000, and have been the Victor’s on their past 3 visits to St James’s Park.

The match could mark a return for Ayoze Perez to his former club early in his city career, and foxes boss Brendan Rodgers has ruled out ‘wholesale changes’ to his side for the tie in order to maintain the momentum built up in the league campaign to date.

Rodgers has also alluded to his conversations with the players in preseason about the importance of a good cup run for his team, and this one seems set to be a mix of regular and fringe players in an attempt to gain a spot in the next round.

Goalkeeper Danny Ward may well be given the chance of a start along with city’s match winner at Bramhall Lane Harvey Barnes.
Wes Morgan’s experience could also be made use of in this one, and James Justin the utility man summer signing from Luton could also get his opportunity.
Other Foxes players on the cusp of a league opportunity will also be hoping to be involved, with Marc Albrighton and Kelechi Iheanacho hoping for game time and the opportunity to impress the gaffer.

Ben Chilwell and Wilfred Ndidi both remain on the Phisio’s bench and are almost certain to be rested as they both near fitness.

Whilst both clubs have a desire to progress there will be one eye on the coming weekend’s league events. Last season former Leicester boss Claude Puel came in for some critisism at his approach toward cup competitions, and for the Foxes under Rodgers this looks set to be a more balanced approach in an attempt to have a deep cup run whilst maintaining Premier League ambitions.