Newcastle United head into Sunday's trip to Crystal Palace under serious pressure. Matthias Jaissle's side have lost three of their last four Premier League games and slipped to 11th place, making the match live on Sky Sports absolutely crucial.
Sky Sports News' Keith Downie points to a defence that has been struggling badly. Newcastle sit right at the bottom of the table for shots against and expected goals against, a worrying sign for any manager. Downie acknowledges there is plenty of mitigation given how late Jaissle and his staff arrived in the summer, and that it is still early in the season. But unless the numbers improve, he warns, this will be a very difficult campaign for the St James' Park club.
Downie believes Jaissle is trying to put square pegs into round holes. The German coach wants to impose his vertical style, which he insists can work anywhere given time, but the Premier League is unforgiving. Players are being used out of position: Yoane Wissa has operated as a No 10, Joe Willock has been deployed deeper as a 6, and new £51m signing Mathias Fernandez-Pardo has played largely as a No 9. In recent games Newcastle appear too easy to play through, the two-man midfield is overrun, and the defence is exposed.
An early-season injury crisis has not helped. Dan Burn, Joelinton, Anthony Elanga, Amar Dedic, Tino Livramento and Jacob Ramsey have all been sidelined, and the absence of experienced players such as Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon is keenly felt. Downie suggests a more pragmatic approach, perhaps with an extra midfielder, may help stabilise the team and get through these choppy waters.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing