'That’s what’s going to catch them out' - Jermaine Jenas reflects on Newcastle's Champions League chances
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ByOli Gent
Updated 06/11/2023 at 22:05 GMT
Former Newcastle United player and TNT Sports pundit Jermaine Jenas has highlighted misfortune with injuries and a lack of depth in some areas as a potential weakness as the Magpies look to compete on four fronts. Newcastle travel to Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday sitting third in Group F. The match is live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Newcastle player Fabian Schar reacts on the final whistle after the UEFA Champions League match between Newcastle United FC and Borussia Dortmund at St. James Park on October 25, 2023 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Image credit: Getty Images
TNT Sports pundit Jermaine Jenas has pinpointed Newcastle’s lack of strength in depth as a potential weakness as they look to compete on multiple fronts this season.
The Magpies remain in contention for four trophies after an impressive start to their 2023-24 campaign. They are in the quarter-finals of the League Cup – where they face Chelsea – sit third in their Champions League group, and are sixth in the Premier League with the FA Cup to come.
Jenas - speaking ahead of Newcastle's Champions League encounter against Borussia Dortmund, live on TNT Sports and discovery+, has been impressed by his former club. However, he added that injuries could derail what has been an impressive start to the season.
"Looking at what’s happened to them, the [Sandro] Tonali situation, all these injuries that have come about… you’re always teetering on the edge of [Alexander] Isak and [Callum] Wilson. When they’re on it, it’s amazing but they’re both quite injury-prone," Jenas said.
"You’re always a little bit light. I thought the other day [against Manchester United in the League Cup], two massive pluses: [Tino] Livramento coming in and playing the way he did, and Lewis Hall [coming in]. [Both are] brilliant players. They add a lot of depth to the team as well.
"I think the honest answer is that’s what’s going to catch them out. When I looked at them earlier on in the year with a full squad, I thought they're still a top-four team, I really did. Now you look at them a bit bare bones and I'm thinking it’s going to be tight."
Jenas added that the 1-0 defeat against Dortmund last time out could cost the Magpies dear.
The loss leaves Eddie Howe's side third in Group F, which has been labelled as the Group of Death by many, and "crazy" by Jenas, beneath Paris Saint-Germain, who top the table with six points, and Dortmund, who are level on four points with Newcastle. AC Milan pull up the rear after no wins in their opening three matches.
"I don’t think anyone saw the Dortmund result coming. I think that if you looked at the performance, in particular the first half, I was really impressed with Dortmund," Jenas said.
"I thought that they outdid Newcastle in a way that Eddie Howe didn’t expect them to. To be fair, they hung on. Eddie Howe probably analysed that game… hit the bar twice, created a load of chances in the second half… it just didn’t quite go in for them.
Despite concerns over some areas in terms of depth, Jenas did see some positives in that regard in the win against United, and added that Howe's men should target a point at the Signal Iduna Park before turning their attentions to doing the double over PSG.
"Going over to Dortmund is going to be a whole different ball game," Jenas continued.
"[If I were them], I’d definitely take a point. Those two away games that they’ve got coming up, Dortmund and PSG, are the reason they want to be in this competition, to experience these moments.
"We’ve seen, like the other day, a second-string Newcastle team turning over Man United 3-0, they’ve got so much talent and they’re all pulling in the right direction. I think I’d take a point at Dortmund, and have them go to PSG knowing that they had the ability to turn them over like they did at home, but it’s going to be tough.
"That defeat, afterwards, there was a feeling and a look in everyone’s eyes [that said]: ‘That’s the one that’s going to knock us out of the tournament,' unfortunately."
Cole added: "You get the impression, don’t you, of when you’ve fluffed your lines a little bit and you should’ve won the game, you do understand it."
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