Former Newcastle full-back John Anderson believes Yoane Wissa is a huge miss for Eddie Howe’s side at the moment.
The Magpies have scored 30 goals in 19 games across all competitions so far this season but only 13 in the Premier League and are languishing in 14th place. Anderson thinks they need ‘different options’ to take it up a level.
“We do need Wissa back, there’s no doubt about it because you need two players who are capable of scoring goals for you,” Anderson told BBC Radio Newcastle.
“[Nick] Woltemade has come in and he’s been great. He’s a different type of player but the boy’s got himself six goals. Harvey Barnes has now chipped in and got himself goals as well but we need Wissa. We need different types of options and at this moment in time, we haven’t got them.
“We’re playing [Anthony] Gordon through the middle – we played him there earlier in the season – and you can see it doesn’t really work because he’s not a natural centre-forward or, most importantly, a natural finisher.
“The sooner these boys are back fit [the better]. I have no doubt about Wissa at all.”
Newcastle have won just three points in six matches on the road in the Premier League this campaign and Anderson partly puts it down to the loss of Alexander Isak.
“We played to Isak’s strengths,” Anderson said. “He complemented us but we complemented him in the way that we played.
“People may not like hearing this but, especially away from home this season, we’ve missed him because of the way we go about playing.”
After defeat at Marseille in midweek, Newcastle are back on the road in the Premier League at Everton on Saturday.
Listen to the full chat on squad options here
