Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has been questioned after he started both Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak in their defeat on the weekend.
Why did Howe start both strikers?
The Tyneside club had their hopes of finishing inside the top four dented on the weekend after tasting defeat to title-chasing Arsenal.
Defeat to the north London side has seen their cushion to foot-placed Liverpool reduced to just three points – albeit with a game in hand over the Reds.
Howe did make a significant change to his starting XI on Sunday after deciding to start both Isak and Wilson despite sticking to his -3-3 formation.
And when speaking to the media about his thinking behind the decision to start both forwards despite having other options on the bench, Howe linked it to the absence of midfielder Sean Longstaff:
“I think the balance of the team has been so impressive and Sean does a really important job. both in and out of possession for us," he said.
"I thought it was just a different balance to our team with Alexander Isak on the left and Callum Wilson up front."
And speaking on his own podcast, Neville has hit back at the 45-year-old's explanation suggesting he was not convinced by Howe's explanation:
(15:10) "He said before the game, it's because of the Longstaff injury. We didn't go back to Eddie and say, well, that doesn't make sense. Because you've got [Miguel] Almiron on the bench, you've got Saint-Maximin, you could have easily replaced him with sort of other options. Why have you done gone and gone with obviously Isak?
"So he had options on the bench – Anthony Gordon as well – so he had three options on the bench, where he could have obviously got the balance that he's had all season. And he has said previously that he feels the balance of the team is important."
Did Howe have to start Isak and Wilson?
Previously, Joelinton has been the player who Howe has played at left-wing when in need of an option in attack.
However, the injury to Longstaff will have forced the 45-year-old to reconsider that with his options in midfield reduced through the Englishman's injury.
Having said that, the fierce competition against one of the league's standout sides this season may have also played a role in his decision-making to keep Joelinton in the middle.
Although Howe alluded to Longstaff's absence playing a role in his team selection, it is worth noting he did have his usual options at left-wing.
Both Anthony Gordon and Allan Saint-Maximin made the bench for the Toon on the weekend, but Howe opted to play both Wilson and the Swede instead.
So it does seem as if perhaps Howe chose the two forwards purely on the back of their recent form with Isak having netted seven in his last 10 league games and Wilson scoring eight in his last eight.
But it was not a decision which paid off with the striking pair failing to register a single shot on target between them throughout the 90 minutes (via SofaScore).
It is understandable that Howe may have wanted to include both forwards in the starting XI, however, perhaps a change of formation may be needed if he is to try it in their next game against Leeds United.