- Newcastle need their summer signings to start delivering after a slow start
- The stars of last season guided Eddie Howe’s side to victory against Burnley
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Newcastle committed to an eventual spend of £150million this summer strengthening their squad, if not their best XI.
With injuries, suspensions and fixtures mounting, the depth they sought to create is about to be tested.
While other players they tracked have made an immediate impact at Premier League rivals — James Maddison at Tottenham, Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai and Moussa Diaby of Aston Villa — Eddie Howe’s four signings are either injured, struggling to adapt or being kept largely in reserve.
They have made six league starts between them and, during Saturday’s 2-0 win over Burnley, it was the stars of last season who made an impact from the off, Miguel Almiron and Alexander Isak the scorers and Bruno Guimaraes the star man.
Not since the opening day against Aston Villa has one of the new boys scored or assisted a goal.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe needs his four summer signings to step up with injuries, suspensions and fixtures mounting
It was the heroes of last season who settled Saturday’s 2-0 win against Burnley, with Miguel Almiron (pictured) opening the scoring
Before Alexander Isak settled the contest with a goal from the penalty spot – the third time he had found the net in six days
There is mitigation, of course.
Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall are young defenders bought with one eye on the future, and the former was magnificent making his full debut in the Carabao Cup win over Manchester City last week.
Harvey Barnes was being kept out of the team by the brilliant performances of Anthony Gordon and then suffered a foot injury sidelining him until 2024.
Sandro Tonali, at a marquee £52million from Milan, has spoken of feeling ‘lost’ during his early weeks on Tyneside and academy products Sean Longstaff and Elliot Anderson are ahead of the Italy midfielder on current form.
Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall are both young defenders with time to improve, and Livramento caught the eye in the Carabao Cup win against Man City
But marquee signing Sandro Tonali has struggled to make an impact, and has spoken of feeling ‘lost’ on Tyneside
But Howe is going to need Tonali, Livramento and Hall to step from the shadows in the coming weeks.
Ahead of the visit of Paris Saint-German on Wednesday, Howe is without star defender Sven Botman, key midfielders Joelinton and Joe Willock, winger Barnes and potentially striker Callum Wilson, who has missed the last two games with a hamstring complaint. Gordon also has a one-match domestic ban on the horizon.
Those brought in have not yet lightened the load on the team who took the club to the Champions League.
A team, it should be said, full of excellent signings — they have barely got one wrong since the Saudi-led takeover in 2021.