Noni Madueke has perfect Monday night chance to show what he can do – worrying if he doesn’t appear | OneFootball

Went into this season with one raw striker, one injured striker, and one 18 year old striker.

Now that Nicolas Jackson (the former), is injured, and Armando Broja (the second) is still yet to return to full fitness, Mauricio Pochettino has a choice. Start the teenager, or play someone out of position up top.

Using a kid with fewer than 30 senior starts just isn’t realistic, so we’re sure the coach will decide that playing an attacking midfielder up top as a “false 9” is his best move. Raheem Sterling has played in similar roles with Manchester City and Liverpool in the past, and is the most likely to be chosen.

Cole Palmer should then likely play in the number ten role behind Sterling, with Mykhailo Mudryk playing on the left. Raheem Sterling’s spot on the right will be vacated, and it will be very interesting to see how Pochettino fills that.

Will we see Palmer moved right with Conor Gallagher or Enzo Fernandez in the hole? If we’ve learned anything in recent weeks it’s that we’re better with Enzo in the pivot with Moises Caicedo. So we hope that’s not what happens.

Could this be the moment for a glorious return for Noni Madueke to cause trouble down the right? He was rather mysteriously left out of the squad for the game earlier this week, and if we don’t see him on Monday, we’ll certainly start to get a little suspicious.