Eddie Howe’s new problem position at Newcastle United

Both ex-Chelsea academy stars took time to get into the Newcastle team, but once they had the shirts only injury could dislodge them, and they both looked a good shout to be in England’s World Cup 2026 squad if not the first team.

It’s easy to forget how young the pair are. Hall turned 21 in September just gone while Livramento celebrates his 23rd birthday next month. Both are still growing into their bodies, which is a time when players can be more susceptible to injury.

Livramento has already suffered a serious knee injury earlier in his career, which is why there were major concerns when he went down against Arsenal. Happily, it looks like a maximum eight-week layoff for him rather than another ACL injury. Hall was flying when he picked up an ankle injury in the spring and was easing his way back into the fold when he felt his hamstring against Union Saint-Gilloise. A prognosis is still awaited on that injury.

Newcastle’s summer funds were diverted to different priorities, with the idea presumably being there was enough cover in the full back positions in the event of injuries. With both young guns out, however, and factoring in Livramento’s ability to play on either side, the full back positions are the one area of the squad that looks short for the next month or two.

The hope is that Livramento and Hall will be back well before January, but there are a minimum of 17 games until the transfer windows open (and Newcastle might be able to bring in some reinforcements). How will they look to cover the positions during this crucial period?

The smart money would be on elder statesman Kieran Trippier continuing in his preferred position of right back. He is experienced, reliable and thankfully appears to be over the personal crisis and desertion of form that afflicted him two years ago. Trippier put in some of his best performances for Newcastle in the early part of 2025 and has continued his good form into this season. He has excellent relationships with Bruno and Murphy, and his delivery remains a threat from set pieces. Crucially, Malick Thiaw can cover his lack of pace in a way that Fabian Schar no longer can.

Emile Krafth never lets anyone down when he plays so could be rotated in if Trippier needs a breather. Jacob Murphy could play as an emergency right back or a wing back if Howe goes for three at the back. The aforementioned Thiaw has also played some senior football at right back. Harrison Ashby looks to be well out of the picture and Howe appears to feel the highly rated youngster Leo Shahar’s development is best served in the u-21s.

The left back options are a bit less clearcut, and whoever plays in that position can’t do what a fully fit Hall or Livramento can do in a progressive attacking sense. Trippier himself can operate on the left and indeed started there for England at Euro 2024, so he could switch over and one of the previously mentioned options could fill in at right back. Targett is gone and Alex Murphy has been on the periphery of the first team.

Howe’s short-term solution to this will almost certainly be that Dan Burn will fill in at left back. Burn played the majority of 2022/23 in that position and was a key part of the joint best defence in the Premier League. He also played most of 2023/24 in the same position before ending that season back in his more familiar centre back role. He endured a torrid period during that winter when the team struggled for form and his lack of pace was brutally exposed, but he knows how to play the position and he retains the trust of his manager, who will always look to find a place in the team for him. As with Thiaw, Sven Botman is deceptively quick which will mitigate some of the potential issues with Burn’s lack of pace being exposed.

Botman and Thiaw’s performances have been so strong of late that Howe perhaps won’t mind a circumstance where we can continue selecting them along with Burn, even if it means he must reconfigure the way the team attack from the wide areas. In practice Burn fills in at centre back even when he is nominally playing at left back, and this is a system that has worked spectacularly previously. Early signs from this season are that Newcastle’s defence is going to be every bit as difficult to breach as it was in 2022/23. Currently they are barely conceding chances, let alone goals.

Another advantage of having Burn on the pitch comes in both attacking and defending set pieces, particularly given the trend in the Premier League for more direct football and emphasis on dead ball situations. In a team of big, physical players Burn is top of the height charts and usually wins his aerial duels. Howe has consistently valued and prioritised the physical aspect of his team both in team selection and recruitment.

Part of a football manager’s skill is the ability to adapt to circumstances and continue getting results without the ability to simply buy new players. Howe has been peerless in the coaching and improving of his players over the last four years, and there is every chance he will answer the full back dilemma and settle on a team selection and system that works while he waits for his future stars to return.

HWTL!