Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has admitted he has difficult decisions to make (Jonathan Brady/PA) (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has issued a stark warning to his star players: perform or face the bench as he gears up for a titanic clash against Manchester City.
The Magpies, who have been scraping by with less-than-stellar performances, were jolted by a 3-1 loss at Fulham last time out.
Notable figures like Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Anthony Gordon, and the possibly sidelined Alexander Isak due to a broken toe, have not been at their peak yet this season.
Faced with tough choices, Howe conceded that while picking his ideal line-up isn't hard, justifying those picks is another matter if the form doesn't back it up.
He explained: "Given a blank sheet of paper and you say 'Go on, write down what your best team is', I don't think that would be difficult for me.
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"I'm a big believer in rewarding people that are playing well. I'm a big believer in there's no set team, everyone has to earn their place. If you're not earning your place, you can't play.
"So we're in that moment, early season, where players haven't been in their best form. It's difficult to pick players if they're not playing continually well."
"I'm at that stage now where I'm going to have to make some difficult decisions, I think."
Reflecting on the loss to Fulham, Howe added: "We reviewed it and we didn't like ourselves, so there's been some honest conversations this week, and hopefully there'll be a response."
Newcastle remain in a strong position, just three points behind the leaders Man City after six games.
Recent clashes between Newcastle and City have been competitive, especially at St James' Park, highlighted by a thrilling 3-3 draw last August, a slim 1-0 victory for Howe's team during the Carabao Cup third-round tie in September of the previous year, and then a dramatic 3-2 defeat in January with City snatching the win thanks to Oscar Bobb's crucial goal.
