Newcastle United are set to take on Reading this evening.
Rafael Benitez has told the Shields Gazette that Newcastle United striker Aleksandar Mitrovic will not be in his squad to face Reading tonight.
With Dwight Gayle back to full fitness and Daryl Murphy in good form, Newcastle have options up-front.
And Mitrovic has fallen so far down the pecking order now that he has not even travelled to the Madejski Stadium.
“No, because we have to decide about the number of players and the strikers,” Benitez said, when asked whether Mitrovic would be in Newcastle’s squad tonight.
“Murphy has done really well, and it’s a pity, because Mitrovic when he was playing, he was trying to do his best. “But Murphy has done very well, and we don’t have too many places for strikers so we have to leave Mitro out.”
Benitez’s decision to leave Mitrovic out this evening, surely leaves question marks over his future at Newcastle.
The Spanish boss has shown a reluctance to use the target-man throughout this season.
And with Newcastle likely to invest in a striker if they are promoted, he could head into the new campaign as fourth or even fifth choice.
Newcastle surely wouldn’t keep Mitrovic at the club, as a purely back-up choice – meaning his latest omission can only be bad news for his future at St. James’ Park.
If Newcastle can beat Reading this evening, they will move even closer to being promoted to the Premier League.
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