The Newcastle United left-back was restored to the side against Chelsea.
Newcastle United’s FA Cup fourth round tie away to Chelsea certainly wasn’t a cause for celebration for the club’s supporters as they watched their side fall to a 3-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge.
For one Newcastle player, however, just being back on the pitch was a positive experience, with defender Massadio Haidara making his first appearance of the season having built up his fitness after recovering from injury.
Haidara endured some difficult moments against Chelsea, but it will be intriguing to see whether he has a major part to play for Rafael Benitez’s side in the remainder of the campaign.
For much of this season Newcastle have fielded Javi Manquillo out of position at left-back, but Benitez now has more options in that regard, with Paul Dummett and Haidara both hoping for regular involvement.
Haidara has often struggled to perform consistently during his Newcastle career, with injuries not helping his cause. The 25-year-old will hope that he will now be presented with an opportunity to feature frequently and demonstrate what he is capable of as Newcastle aim to stay in the Premier League.
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