Newcastle United suffered a brutal loss on Saturday, 2-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion. Their league season continues to be a slog, to say the least. Shifting from domestic affairs to continental competition, maybe the Geordies will fare better in the UEFA Champions League. Up next is a visit from Benfica, a side that really struggled so far in Europe.
However, they are led by “The Special One” Jose Mourinho, who received high praise from Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.
Champions League Match Day 3 of 8 FYIs
Newcastle United vs Benfica
Kickoff: Tue. Oct. 21, St. James Park, Newcastle, UK
Newcastle Preview Material: Starting XI Prediction Injury Updates
UCL Standing, Form: Villarreal 33rd, 0 pts, LL Newcastle United 11th, 3 pts LW
Asked if Mourinho is one of the all-time greats, Howe responded: “I think you have to. Look what he did. I’m not just saying that because we are playing them tomorrow, I genuinely believe it. The impact he made initially was incredible, really. He had an aura around him and his teams. His teams were always very difficult to beat.
“I remember watching his teams in my very early days as a head coach, when I was looking to mold the way I wanted to play and what I was thinking about coaching-wise, he had a big impact.”
So let’s take a look at what lineup Howe could select in order to counter tactics and teams of Mourinho.
Newcastle United Predicted Starting XI vs Benfica
Nick Pope; Dan Burn, Malick Thiaw, Sven Botman, Kieran Trippier; Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Jacob Ramsey; Harvey Barnes, Anthony Gordon, Anthony Elanga
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter