Abdulhafiz TeslimNewcastle United head coach Matthias Jaissle has reportedly delivered a remarkable message ahead of the club’s trip to Millwall, with the atmosphere expected to be one of the biggest talking points surrounding Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup clash.
An extraordinary quote attributed to Jaissle has begun circulating ahead of the trip to The Den, with the Newcastle boss apparently saying: “If any of their fans fancy a go, I’ll be in the club car park from 4.30pm.”
Whether the comment was delivered with a touch of humour or was intended as a serious response to the intimidating reputation surrounding Millwall’s home support, it has certainly added another layer of intrigue to an already highly anticipated cup tie.
Newcastle are preparing for their first competitive meeting with Millwall in more than three decades. The Magpies last faced the Lions competitively in April 1993, when Newcastle came away from London with a 2-1 victory. This time, however, the circumstances are very different, with Jaissle taking his squad into what promises to be a hostile and energetic atmosphere at The Den.
The match also comes with an unexpected selection issue for Newcastle between the posts.
Young goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen is unavailable after suffering an ankle injury in training. The 20-year-old only joined Newcastle during the summer from Stade de Reims and had been brought in as part of the club’s plans for the future. Newcastle confirmed his signing on a long-term contract in June after he impressed in Ligue 2, where he made 34 appearances and kept 15 clean sheets last season.
Jaouen’s injury means Nick Pope is now expected to be involved once again.
Pope’s situation at Newcastle has been one of the more interesting goalkeeper stories of the summer. Following the arrival of new competition, the experienced goalkeeper had found himself behind younger options in the pecking order. Indeed, he had returned to the bench for the Bournemouth game after Jaouen picked up his training-ground problem.
Now, the Carabao Cup could provide Pope with a much bigger opportunity.
The injury to Jaouen could force Jaissle to reconsider his goalkeeping plans for the trip to south-east London, particularly with Newcastle also managing several other absences. The club’s injury list currently includes Jaouen, Dan Burn, Joelinton and William Osula.
For Pope, this could therefore become an important moment.
The 34-year-old has considerable Premier League and international experience, and a strong performance at The Den would give him the chance to remind everyone inside the club that he remains more than capable of stepping up when called upon.
Newcastle will also have to deal with the unique challenge of playing at Millwall.
The Lions have already shown their strength at home this season and come into the contest after a convincing 4-0 victory over Bolton. Under Alex Neil, Millwall have developed into a side capable of making life extremely uncomfortable for opponents, particularly in front of their own supporters.
For Jaissle, Tuesday night is therefore about more than simply progressing into the next round.
The German coach has made an unbeaten start to life at Newcastle, and the Millwall fixture represents another opportunity to demonstrate that his side can handle different types of challenges.
The atmosphere, the physical nature of the contest and the pressure of knockout football will all test Newcastle.
And with Jaouen unavailable, Pope may suddenly find himself at the centre of the story.
If the reported Jaissle comments are anything to go by, the Newcastle boss certainly appears ready for whatever The Den throws at him.
Now, it is down to his players to match that confidence on the pitch.
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Abdulhafiz Teslim
