Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has acknowledged the necessity of squad rotation as the team juggles its commitments in domestic and European competitions.
After securing a valuable point in their first Champions League match in two decades against AC Milan, the Magpies must now shift their focus back to the Premier League, beginning with a match against Sheffield United this Sunday.
Looking ahead to the game, Howe has recognized the emotional strain that Tuesday's showdown at the San Siro imposed on his players. He understands that adjustments will be required as he aims to effectively handle and rotate his squad.
“We probably won’t train fully before Sunday. We will be ‘training’ but not at our maximum. I don’t think anyone can measure emotionally what Milan took out of us.
“It’s our job to recover and make sure we are ready for another tough test. That’s what the Champions League and the exposure brings. The consistency of our performances is going to be a true testament to how well we do this season.
"We are going to have to rotate the squad. We don't want to make, if we can help it, wholesale changes to the team in any one game. I don't think that will do our rhythm any good.
Joelinton and Joe Willock will continue to be sidelined due to injury, leaving the club without their services. However, the rest of the squad is fit and ready for their upcoming match against Sheffield at Bramall Lane. The opponent has faced challenges since their promotion to the Premier League, having only secured one point in their first five matches.
Nevertheless, Eddie Howe emphasized that they should not be underestimated and cautioned his players to approach the game with the appropriate mindset as they expect a tough contest.
"It will be a difficult game. They're a good team, a direct team that will ask us questions physically. They have lots of areas that can hurt us if we're not right.
"The big challenge for us is to approach the game like we did the Brentford match where we were spot on in our mindset."
sources - ITV News / Join us on Telegram!/ Follow us on Twitter!