Newcastle United travel to the capital for a Premier League match against Brentford on Saturday afternoon.

The reverse fixture in November marked Eddie Howe’s first game as Newcastle manager – though one conducted from his hotel room after testing positive for COVID-19.

Winless and level on points with rock-bottom Norwich City upon his arrival, Howe has steered Newcastle out of the drop zone with an impressively mid-table return of 1.3 points per game.

Here’s the XI the former Bournemouth boss could pick in an attempt to leapfrog the hosts.

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Martin Dubravka (GK) – The well-worked Newcastle number one is recording the worst save rate of his Premier League career (66%).

Emil Krafth (RB) – Lumbered with the unenviable task of filling the injured Kieran Trippier’s boots for the foreseeable future.

Fabian Schar (CB) – One of Newcastle’s more adventurous passers isn’t deterred by the fact that one in three of his attempts to find a teammate go awry.

Dan Burn (CB) – The former Brighton giant has scored a career-high two goals against Brentford, including what would prove to be the winner for Yeovil Town in the League One Play-off final back in 2013.

Matt Targett (LB) – The only outfield player that started every Premier League game for Aston Villa last season was deemed surplus enough to requirements that Newcastle could snap him up on loan last month.

Joe Willock (CM) – One of the forgotten summer additions bounces into the contest on the back of his first goal since a blatantly unsustainable glut of seven consecutive scoring appearances convinced the Mike Ashley regime to part ways with £25m.

Jonjo Shelvey (CM) – So exhausted by Howe’s training sessions in his first week at the club, his lauded midfield anchor collapsed into bed at 8pm.

Joelinton (CM) – The only outfield player to start all 14 of Howe’s matches in charge scored his only goal of the season in the first of those games – which was also against Brentford.

Ryan Fraser (RW) – In 2018/19 – under Howe’s watch at Bournemouth – ‚Wee Man‘ racked up 14 Premier League assists, a tally only Eden Hazard could better in the entirety of Europe’s top five leagues that season(per FBref). Fraser has created just seven goals in the two-and-a-half years since.

Chris Wood (ST) – Already with a goal to his name against Brentford this term, Newcastle are longing for their new striker to continue his impressive record of nine goals in his past 13 games against promoted Premier League sides.

Allan Saint-Maximin (LW) – No Premier League player has had a hand in more efforts on goal following a carry than Newcastle’s inimitable whirling-derby this season (taken 27 shots and created 26 per Opta).

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