Eddie Howe must keep his word and 'trust' unproven Newcastle United youngster after 'nasty' injury blow
Newcastle United have encountered a new problem in the side in the absence of Lewis Miley.
Lewis Miley established himself as one of Newcastle United’s most important players between December and January before an injury halted his progress.
The 19-year-old was performing in both midfield and at right-back when needed, putting in a strong display in the position in Newcastle’s 1-1 draw at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League despite conceding a harsh early penalty.
But Miley hasn’t been seen in action since as he’s been suffering from a ‘nasty’ dead leg.
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NUFC right-back problems
Providing an update on the teenager’s fitness ahead of the trip to Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday night, Magpies head coach Eddie Howe said: “Miley I need to see today. We’ll get another update on his progress. He got a nasty bang to his leg, so it was like a sort of dead leg that’s dragged on a little bit longer than we thought. So we’ll see how he is.”
But with Miley out of the side, 35-year-old Kieran Trippier, who has been Newcastle’s first-choice right-back for the majority of his four years at the club, has been tasked with playing each of Newcastle’s last four Premier League matches at right-back as well as the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at Manchester City.
It’s been a demanding schedule for Newcastle and the former England international, who spent two months out with a hamstring injury between November and January.
Miley’s emergence as a right-back option had eased the pressure on Trippier to play every game in the absence of Tino Livramento, who is set to be out until March.
But with Miley unavailable and no proven alternatives available, Trippier has had to keep his place in the side and the form of both the player and Newcastle has suffered as a result.
The Magpies head into the match at Spurs on the back of three straight defeats. But with doubts over Miley’s fitness and doubts over Trippier’s form heading into the game against his former club, Howe has a big decision to make.
Kieran Trippier alternative available
Newcastle fans reading this or watching the side in recent weeks may be shouting that there is an alternative available and he’s been named on the bench in all of the club’s recent matches.
18-year-old Leo Shahar is a natural right-back who has trained with the first team and impressed at academy level as well as England youth level. A bright prospect, no doubt.
“Leo is another talented young player here. I think he possesses the ability to play both sides so left-back and right-back, he's done both for us,” Howe explained. “He has trained with us intermittently for about a season depending on our numbers.
"He is an England youth international, highly rated, really good athletically so he is in and around it and he is someone we would certainly trust having trained with us for a long period of time.”
Yet Shahar is yet to make a competitive appearance for the first team even with a lack of options, and the side’s struggles in the position made clear.
When asked what Shahar and fellow academy star Sean Neave have to do to get on the pitch, having regularly been named on the bench, Howe explained: “They've got to keep developing their careers and keep developing their talents. They're training with us every day. They're part of the group.
“The players that you mentioned have got great attitudes. They want to do well. Also, they need the dedication [because] you don't just become a Premier League player. It's so, so difficult.
“So it's that real dedication to your craft and the attitude every day to maximise in the training sessions that we put on. But I think they're going in the right direction. We're delighted they're with us and we hope to give them opportunities in the future, if they deserve it.”