Newcastle United head to Hillsborough this evening for their clash against Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup third round, and Eddie Howe will surely be full of confidence ahead of the match as his team has been in phenomenal form this season.
The Magpies are third in the Premier League after 18 matches and are in contention for a Champions League qualification place as it stands, which will be a dream come true for the St James' Park faithful if they can achieve it. However, a major piece of silverware would also be warmly welcomed after going without one for almost seven decades.
In terms of injuries, Jonjo Shelvey, Emil Krafth and Paul Dummett remain unavailable for selection due to long-term issues, with Matt Targett joining them as he is currently being assessed for a heel injury.
Howe took to his pre-match press conference to deliver an update on Alexander Isak's potential return to action today and has hinted at a late fitness test to determine whether the Swede will be ready to take part in the FA Cup clash.
The Newcastle boss said: "Let’s get him through training today. I'm not clear because I just don't want to put pressure on him. We'll introduce him at the right time and he's getting closer all the time. He's trained with the team so we're pleased with his process. Let's wait and see."
With that being said, this is how Football FanCast expects Newcastle to line up against Sheffield Wednesday...
Martin Dubravka (GK), Kieran Trippier (RB), Jamaal Lascelles (CB), Sven Botman (CB), Jamal Lewis (LB), Bruno Guimaraes (CDM), Joelinton (CM), Sean Longstaff (CM), Miguel Almiron (RW), Chris Wood (ST), Allan Saint-Maximin (LW)
We predict that Howe will make five changes to the team which drew at Arsenal earlier this week, with the manager combining first-team experience with some rotation to give opportunities to fringe players.
The first two changes we expect to see is Jamal Lewis and club captain Jamaal Lascelles joining Sven Botman and Kieran Trippier in the back-line, providing Dan Burn and Fabian Schar with a rest after the congested Christmas period.
In midfield, Joelinton will reprise his place in a more central role in the heart of the team alongside Bruno Guimaraes and Sean Longstaff, after playing on the left wing in the stalemate against Mikel Arteta's side. Joe Willock drops out as a result.
In the final third, Allan Saint-Maximin returns to action on the left flank whilst Miguel Almiron retains his spot on the right and Chris Wood comes in for Callum Wilson, who is likely to be rested for the cup fixture.
The £46k-per-week England international - who was dubbed "selfless" by journalist Harry Roy - has not only had a busy few months both for Newcastle and for his country at the World Cup in Qatar, but is also notorious for his injury issues, so a much-needed rest against Sheffield Wednesday will be welcomed.
The final change we predict is Martin Dubravka returning to the starting line-up in place of Nick Pope after returning to St James' Park from being on loan with Manchester United for the first half of the season.