Newcastle United have struggled with injuries in defence but could Ryan Barrett and Oisin McEntee be handed their Premier League debuts?
Newcastle United youngsters Oisin McEntee and Ryan Barrett have caught Steve Bruce’s eye in training this week with the Premier League outfit suffering yet more injury problems in defence, according to the Chronicle.
On paper at least, the Magpies have some of the most reliable centre-halves in the top-flight on their books.
But, after Jamaal Lascelles, Fabian Schar, Florian Lejeune and co made a more-than-welcome return to action, Ciaran Clark is now set for a spell on the sidelines. Bruce just cannot catch a break, it seems.
With Newcastle’s squad once again set to be stretched to it’s limits, two never-before-seen teenagers have been promoted to the first-team squad for the time being.
19-year-old McEntee, a 6ft 3ins Irishman, was playing Gaelic football rather than the real thing before being spotted by the Magpies in 2017. The New York-born giant has played 11 Premier League 2 matches for Newcastle this season and will now be harbouring hopes of a first-team bow.
Barrett (above), who is just 18, has also impressed Bruce in the last few days. A right-back rather than a centre-half, the Wales youth star could perhaps provide some support for DeAndre Yedlin on the flanks with Javi Manquillo only recently returning after a prolonged spell out of the side.
Bruce has been happy to hand opportunities to young talent since getting his dream job on Tyneside. And both Barrett and McEntee will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Longstaff siblings Sean and Matty.
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