The Newcastle XI Benitez must pick vs. Nottingham Forest

Newcastle United will look to get back to winning ways and boost their chances of returning to the top of the Championship table when they host Nottingham Forest at St James’ Park tonight.

Since losing 2-1 to Forest in the reverse league fixture at the City Ground at the start of December, Rafa Benitez’s men had bounced back with three straight wins to remain in pole position for an instant return to the Premier League.

However, they suffered a disappointing 1-0 home loss to Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day and consequentially relinquished their slot at the summit, with Brighton moving above them on Tuesday night following a comfortable 3-0 success against QPR.

Benitez has rotated his squad in recent matches over what has been a busy festive period and he could do the same against the Reds – especially after a defeat in their previous encounter.

Here is FootballFanCast’s Newcastle XI that will take all three points vs. Forest…

GK: Karl Darlow

The former Nottingham Forest goalkeeper has been Benitez’s first choice stopper for the majority of the season, and following his fine performance in the reverse fixture earlier this month – when he saved two first-half penalties – he will once again be between the sticks at St James’ Park.

Darlow was in brilliant form in the below-par defeat against Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day, and made a number of impressive saves in the 1-0 loss.

RB: DeAndre Yedlin

The American full-back and the more experienced Vurnon Anita have largely rotated in the right-back spot this season, and with the games coming thick and fast over the festive period, it could be Yedlin who gets the nod here.

Anita started the defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day, and Benitez could look to shake up his back four for the visit of Forest, with Yedlin especially able to offer a real threat going forward with his pace on the overlap.

CB: Jamaal Lascelles

Like Darlow, Lascelles is a former Nottingham Forest player and he will be up for the home match against his old side – especially as he looks to make amends after what happened in the reverse fixture at the City Ground earlier this month.

Newcastle were reduced to nine men in the first half but despite Forest’s dominance, Benitez’s men looked like they would take a point back to St James’ Park before Magpies skipper Lascelles scored an unfortunate own goal in the last minute.

CB: Ciaran Clark

After conceding just one goal in their three matches following the reverse fixture against Forest earlier this month, Clark and his defence would have been confident of keeping another clean sheet against Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day.

However, Glenn Loovens netted when Newcastle failed to clear a corner and it would have been a goal that Benitez would have believed was preventable – Clark will want to help keep more things solid at the back against the Reds tonight.

LB: Paul Dummett

With few other options available to Benitez at left-back – aside from playing someone out of position – Dummett has been Newcastle’s first choice defender on the left side of the defence this season, and he has generally been impressive and proven that he is one of the best in the Championship.

The Wales international would have been frustrated at conceding the soft goal against Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day, and he will want to give his side the best possible chance of bouncing back with a win against Forest by helping the Magpies keep a clean sheet.

RM: Matt Ritchie

As many would have predicted following some fine performances for Bournemouth in the Premier League last season, Ritchie has quickly showed that he is one of the best and most effective attacking players in the Championship this term.

Like some of his Newcastle team-mates, the right-sided player struggled to fire going forward as the Magpies drew a blank against Sheffield Wednesday, and he will be keen to provide more of a contribution when Forest come to town – the Scot scored his side’s goal in the reverse fixture at the start of December.

CM: Isaac Hayden

Jonjo Shelvey has been Newcastle’s main man in central midfield this season but after he was ruled out for five matches, Hayden has had to step up in midfield alongside Jack Colback.

With Shelvey often dictating the play it is a hard act to follow for the former Arsenal man and he will want to be better in possession than he was in the defeat to Sheffield Wednesday, in order to prove to Benitez that he deserves to be a regular starter for the Magpies.

CM: Jack Colback

Following the five-game ban that was given to Shelvey, it was Colback who replaced him in the central midfield in the defeat to Sheffield Wednesday, and Toon fans would have certainly been questioning whether they can be effective going forward in the absence of the impressive midfielder.

The former Sunderland man and Isaac Hayden will want to show that they are up to the task for the visit of Forest, and the duo must find those passes forward that can make the difference.

LM: Yoan Gouffran

The Frenchman has been one of Newcastle’s standout players so far this season and he is the club’s second top goalscorer in the Championship behind Dwight Gayle with four league goals to his name.

While he struggled to make an impact going forward against Sheffield Wednesday and was substituted off for Christian Atsu after 62 minutes, he deserves to be given the chance to make an impact when Nottingham Forest come to St James’ Park.

AM: Mohamed Diame

For much of the campaign, Diame had struggled to find himself named in Benitez’s starting XI in Newcastle’s Championship fixtures, but that certainly hasn’t been the case in recent weeks when he has been preferred to Ayoze Perez.

The Senegalese midfielder has scored two goals in his last three league appearances and his strength and power will continue to be a key attribute in this division. He will look to provide that support to Dwight Gayle once again on Friday.

ST: Dwight Gayle

Like Diame behind him, Gayle has been in fine goalscoring form in recent weeks – the striker has scored four goals in his last four Championship appearances and he was only denied adding to that because of the woodwork against Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day.

With 17 league strikes to his name, not only is the former Crystal Palace man the club’s top goalscorer, but he is also the top marksman in the division and someone in that kind of form and with finishing ability has to be in the starting XI every week.