‘Thauvin or not Thauvin’, that is the question

Having watched Newcastle shell out £12m to sign Florian Thauvin from Marseille earlier this week, Steve McClaren will be understandably tempted to pitch the Frenchman straight into the heart of the action at Old Trafford.

He is match fit after putting in a full pre-season at Marseille and playing in the French club’s opening two Ligue 1 games of the season, and would surely relish the prospect of making his Premier League debut at one of the most revered grounds in the country.

The player he would replace on the left-hand side, Gabriel Obertan, started brightly against Southampton but saw his form dip in last weekend’s game at Swansea.

Even so, McClaren should tread carefully with Thauvin. As Remy Cabella’s experiences prove, the Premier League is markedly different to Ligue 1, especially for a creative midfielder who is used to having time on the ball. A 20-minute appearance from the bench is the best way for him to begin.

Solving the right-back riddle

With Daryl Janmaat suspended following his dismissal at Swansea, Newcastle find themselves scrambling around for a replacement right-back. Perhaps that will prompt McClaren to push for a final addition in that area before the transfer window closes?

For tomorrow, the Magpies head coach will have to make do with what he has. Chancel Mbemba switched across to the full-back berth following Janmaat’s departure at the Liberty Stadium, with Steven Taylor partnering Fabricio Coloccini at centre-half.

That is an option tomorrow afternoon, but if McClaren feels Mbemba and Coloccini are his best bet in the central area, might he better served switching Vurnon Anita to right-back and promoting Cheick Tiote to the heart of midfield?

Anita’s lack of height and physicality can sometimes make him vulnerable in the full-back slot, but that shouldn’t be an issue if, as expected, the lightweight Adnan Januzaj lines up on Manchester United’s left.

Will this be where Rooney sparks back into life?

Newcastle’s defenders must be sick of the sight of Wayne Rooney. When the England skipper scored the opening two goals of Manchester United’s 3-1 win over Newcastle last December, he took his Premier League tally against the Magpies to 12.

No one relishes taking on Newcastle more than Rooney, so while Manchester United’s new lone striker has been out of form in the opening two-and-a-half weeks of the season, it would hardly be a surprise if he sprang back to life this afternoon.

The Northern Echo:

He looked dreadfully out of sorts as Louis van Gaal’s side scraped past Aston Villa last weekend, but with the unfancied Javier Hernandez representing the only real competition in the squad, he is certain to retain his place in tomorrow’s side.

Newcastle will have to be wary of Memphis Depay’s attacking threat following his two-goal salvo against Club Brugge in the week, and Massadio Haidara is unlikely to be relishing the prospect of containing the hugely talented Juan Mata. Ultimately, though, there is every chance that Rooney’s performance will be key.