Eddie Howe in calculated Newcastle United gamble

Some tricky decisions for Eddie Howe to make.

It comes with the territory.

To be fair though, Eddie Howe has brought this on himself.

A second Champions League qualification in three seasons and a fourth Carabao Cup quarter-final in a row.

All of which means that we are heading well into December with Newcastle United still having four competitions to aim for.

With matches every midweek, as well as weekends, what should you do?

Well, sometimes you have to make calculated gambles.

Sometimes these are huge calculated gambles.

Take Saturday for instance.

Fair to say nobody predicted the Newcastle team v Burnley.

At the same time though, I reckon Eddie Howe had pretty much all of this starting eleven planned weeks ago. Certainly the basics of it.

Eddie Howe changed six of his ten outfield players for the Burnley match.

That is seismic, a huge gamble Especially when you look at who Eddie Howe changed. Due to Hall having been ill and not in a position to start and play the full match, the NUFC boss brought in Schar and put Burn at left-back. However, what was the massive call, Eddie Howe changing all of his midfield and only Nick Woltemade keeping his place up front. If Yoane Wissa, or maybe even Will Osula, had been available, then I am pretty sure Eddie Howe would have changed his entire front six. That is canny full on.

This is where we are at though.

Eddie Howe had to make a lot of brave choices against Burnley because Wednesday night is absolutely huge.

A win at Leverkusen would guarantee Newcastle United a place in the Champions League play-offs at worst, whilst it would probably mean that then if NUFC won at home to PSV as well, then with the way our goal difference is, that could well guarantee top eight and automatic qualification for the last 16,, no matter what happens in Paris (so long as not a huge defeat).

What I think we are guaranteed.

On Wednesday night we will one hundred per cent see Eddie Howe put out what he considers is his very best available eleven, for that Champions League game, to then do everything they can to get us to 12 Champions League points from six games.

I think taking everything into account, Newcastle played pretty well on Saturday. We should have finished more of our chances and Anthony Gordon was so unlucky to see his two long range blinders hit the woodwork.

When I talk of factors, changing six of the team, especially five of the front six, was the massive one.

I feel a bit sorry for certain players in these circumstances, a bit like in cup matches when it happens.

When you have the likes of Elanga, Ramsey and Willock who have rarely started, it is far more difficult when they are given a game and loads of changes made, as opposed to say the usual team and putting one of them in.

Even with a fair few big players still out, the likes of Pope, Trippier, Botman and Osula, plus Wissa still not available as a starter I assume, I am very much looking forward to seeing the team Eddie Howe will be able to put out on the pitch in Germany, plus of course a far stronger bench than we’ve seen for most of this season.

By doing what he did with his team selection for the Burnley match, I think Eddie Howe will have gauged that this will then hopefully allow him to put his very best available side out against both Leverkusen AND the Mackems, unless any knocks are picked up in that Champions League game.