Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United selection dilemma for Crystal Palace with potential debut decision

Howe is expected to make several changes to the side that won 4-1 at Southampton in the Premier League on Sunday. Players such as Chris Wood, Jonjo Shelvey, Allan Saint-Maximin, Javier Manquillo and Elliot Anderson could all be named in the starting line-up having been brought off the bench at St Mary’s.

But there is a big call to be made between the sticks on Wednesday. Nick Pope has started every league match for Newcastle this season and Howe could well choose to rotate his goalkeepers for the cup match as he did in the previous round.

Karl Darlow started in the 2-1 win at Tranmere back in August before suffering an ankle injury that sidelined him for over a month. United signed free agent Loris Karius to cover in Darlow’s absence, but now with the 32-year-old back in contention, Howe has a decision to make.

Karius is yet to feature for Newcastle, and with his initial deal at the club set to expire in January, the Palace match is likely to be his only realistic chance of a competitive start for the club should they decide not to extend his contract.

But it was a newly-fit Darlow who was the preferred option on the bench at Southampton, potentially hinting at Howe’s preference for the Carabao Cup match.

When quizzed on a potential selection dilemma, the United head coach remained tight-lipped on which player he would choose for the match, with a decision yet to be made.

“It’s the same as the outfield players really, we’ll make a decision on our team tomorrow [Wednesday],” Howe said in his pre-match press conference. “We’ll finish training today and I’ll have a full idea of who is fit and available. I’ll make my decision overnight.

He added: “My philosophy has always been to try to progress and build a winning mentality.

"You also want to give a chance to your squad to show they’re good enough and make their claim for a Premier League place. It’s a delicate balance. The most important thing is to approach the game in the right way.”