Newcastle have enjoyed a solid pre-season so far with comfortable wins against Gateshead and 1860 Munich followed by a narrow 1-0 defeat to Mainz 05 in Austria. They also got the better of Championship side Burnley in a training match in Portugal over the weekend.
They now prepare for arguably their toughest pre-season test against last season’s Champions League quarter-finalists Benfica at Estadio da Luz.
Pre-season presents an ideal opportunity for Howe to experiment and mix the team up, making predicting the side’s starting line-up almost impossible.
But given the level of opposition and the Eusebio Cup being on the table, Howe will be looking to start with a strong side.
9. Miguel Almiron - 9
Came close to giving Newcastle the lead inside the opening four minutes. Looked full of confidence as he brought the ball forward and grabbed an equaliser from close range. Equalised again on the stroke of half-time with a tidy finish. Has been like a new signing this pre-season with six goals to his name, an average of one every 44 minutes. Photo: Ian MacNicol
10. Allan Saint-Maximin - 7
Got on the ball and posed a threat in possession. Dragged an edge-of-the-box effort wide of the left post after cutting inside. | Getty Images
11. Callum Wilson - 6
Showed good strength and power to lead the line on his own. Had a decent chance to give Newcastle the lead but the offside flag went up. Photo: Stu Forster
12. Karl Darlow - 6
On for Pope 46: Was alert to come off his line and stop Benfica taking the lead in the second half. Photo: Ian MacNicol