Freddie Woodman has yet to make his Newcastle debut, but form and fitness have deserted the club’s two senior goalkeepers.
Newcastle United have been dealt a blow ahead of their crunch clash with Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday as Rob Elliot has been ruled out with injury.
Elliot had struggled earlier in the season but has found form since returning to the team – follow Karl Darlow’s short stint in goal – and crucially saved a penalty against West Ham United last week.
But the Republic of Ireland international was clearly suffering with injury at home to Manchester City on Wednesday as he struggled with his goal kicks, opening the door for one of his deputies to step in this weekend.
Darlow would ordinarily come into the side, but poor performances against Leicester City and Everton proved costly as the former Nottingham Forest man failed to replicate his dominant form from last season’s Championship title-winning campaign.
So could that create an opportunity for Freddie Woodman?
England Under-21 international Woodman is one of the hottest goalkeeping prospects in world football, having consistently impressed at youth level for the Three Lions.
And there is every chance that the 20-year-old will retain the number one shirt as soon as he is given his chance to impress on Tyneside, but he has not yet made a single senior appearance for the Premier League club.
Woodman’s league experience currently consists of 11 League Two appearances for Crawley Town and 14 Scottish Premiership appearances for Kilmarnock.
It would be a risk in such a big game, but Woodman has to be given his chance at some point and his time may well have come.
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