Newcastle United's superb start to the season is made all the more remarkable by the absences Eddie Howe has had to contend with. However, it means the Magpies boss could have a headache on his hands if Alexander Isak and Allan Saint-Maximin return to full fitness as expected by the time the Premier League returns.
Injuries have limited both to a peripheral role so far this term, with club-record signing Isak so far making just three appearances in black-and-white. Saint-Maximin enjoyed a blistering start to the season, but a recurrent hamstring complaint has hampered his attempts to return to action.
Newcastle fans have so far been denied the tantalising prospect of the duo joining number nine Callum Wilson in attack. It was a front three many initially anticipated would form part of the club's strongest starting eleven, but only a matter of months on and that scenario now looks far from a foregone conclusion.
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Howe has already proven himself tactically adept and flexible during his short stint so far at St James' Park, but the head coach would be loathed to move away from a system which has delivered transformative results. Unfortunately for Isak and Saint-Maximin, two spots in that front three appear to be nailed down.
Miguel Almiron has emphatically added end product to his game to match his work-rate, and was justly rewarded for this improvement with the Premier League's Player of the Month award for October. The Paraguay international currently sits ahead of Wilson in the Magpies' goalscoring chart, with the striker forcing his way back into the England squad on the back of a bright start to the season.
If everyone returns from the mid-season break and World Cup without injury, this means Isak and Saint-Maximin could be left to compete for the left-wing role. Newcastle's number 10 has made the position his own in recent seasons, while the summer signing has proven himself capable of fulfilling a wide role during his time with Real Sociedad.
However, Newcastle's hard-fought win over Chelsea to reclaim third spot in the Premier League hinted at an exciting new attacking dynamic to consider. Isak and Saint-Maximin could find their return to the fold somewhat complicated by the successful pairing of Joelinton and Joe Willock.
It was the latter who scored the decisive goal and netted his second in as many games, sweeping the ball beyond Edouard Mendy following Almiron's dribble to the box. Willock had come in from the left, and it was just one of many instances the former Arsenal loanee found himself as part of the front three.
Joelinton started the contest in the wide role, but actually played his part in the goal from a central position, hooking the ball over the defence for Almiron to collect. It was a switch which happened throughout the victory over the Blues, and on this particular instance delivered huge rewards.
It was clearly a tactical plan to unsettle Chelsea's back five, and one that could and arguably should be revisited given the player's respective strengths. It was the third successive league start for Joelinton on the left despite his reinvention as a midfielder, while Willock has previously proven himself capable of being a consistent goalscorer for Newcastle.
It is all a case of ifs and buts at this point, with the return of the Magpies' season more than a month away. Howe could yet find the players in form or even the ones at his disposal have changed by the time his side return to action in the Carabao Cup fourth-round home tie to Bournemouth on December 21.
The head coach has always welcomed discussions of selection headaches, and he will need to call upon the squad throughout the congested remainder of the campaign. However, this newfound combination which worked to great effect has provided Howe with another reminder that integrating Isak and Saint-Maximin into his winning side could prove more challenging than many initially expected.
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