Newcastle United manager Matthias Jaissle has confirmed new signing Nico Gonzalez is available for his debut ahead of Saturday's Premier League trip to Tottenham Hotspur. The Magpies head to North London sitting fifth in the table with four points from their opening two matches, a position detailed on our standings page.
Gonzalez, a midfielder who joined from Manchester City for a reported £50 million, was presented to the St James' Park crowd before Wednesday's EFL Cup win over West Brom. His availability offers a significant boost as Newcastle look to build on a solid start to the season that has seen them score four goals and concede just two.
Jaissle's options have been bolstered by the arrival of Gonzalez, who is expected to slot straight into the midfield. The manager also has a fit-again Bazoumana Toure to call upon after the attacker felt a bit of pain during the cup tie but is expected to be ready.
In goal, Lukas Hornicek appears to have established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper for now. Defensive options include Amar Dedic, Malick Thiaw, Sven Botman, and Lewis Hall. In attack, Anthony Elanga, Harvey Barnes, Yoane Wissa, and Nick Woltemade are all in contention.
Newcastle's squad is not at full strength, however. Club captain Dan Burn remains sidelined with ankle ligament damage, while Joelinton is unavailable because of a groin problem. Tino Livramento is out with a calf injury and attacker William Osula is also unavailable with a foot injury. The full list of absentees is tracked on our injuries page.
These absences come at a time when Newcastle are just two points behind early leaders Manchester City. Maintaining their positive early form will require others to step up in their absence.
Based on current availability, the predicted starting lineup for Newcastle United against Roberto De Zerbi's Spurs is a 4-2-3-1 formation. Lukas Hornicek is expected to start in goal. The back four is likely to be Amar Dedic, Malick Thiaw, Sven Botman, and Lewis Hall.
The midfield pivot could see debutant Nico Gonzalez partnered with Lewis Miley. In the attacking trio, Anthony Elanga and Harvey Barnes may flank Yoane Wissa, with Nick Woltemade leading the line as the central striker. This setup aims to balance defensive solidity with the attacking threat provided by Barnes and Elanga, who scored against West Brom and Liverpool respectively.
Newcastle's season so far shows promise. They opened with a 2-2 draw against Liverpool last weekend, where Anthony Elanga was on the scoresheet. They followed that with a 3-2 victory over West Brom in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, with Harvey Barnes netting twice and Bazoumana Toure adding the other goal.
Their league form reads one win and one draw, placing them fifth. They have a goal difference of plus two, having scored four and conceded two across those two games. This solid foundation provides a platform for the challenges ahead, including the visit to Tottenham.
After the trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, attention quickly turns to the next league fixture. Newcastle United host Bournemouth at St James' Park on September 5th. Eddie Howe's Cherries are currently 14th in the table, presenting another opportunity for Newcastle to add points. Fans can look ahead to that match and others on our fixtures page.
Integrating Nico Gonzalez successfully will be key for Matthias Jaissle as he manages a squad dealing with several injury issues. The team's ability to handle this period while staying in touch with the early pacesetters could define their autumn campaign.
