Eddie Howe drops Emil Krafth selection hint for Newcastle United’s trip to Brentford

Eddie Howe looks set to keep his faith in Emil Krafth for Newcastle’s trip to Brentford despite an underwhelming performance last weekend.

The Sweden international was called upon against West Ham in the absence of Kieran Trippier and Javier Manquillo but conceded the free-kick that led to Craig Dawson’s opener.

Some supporters were surprised to see Krafth in the Magpies’ 25-man Premier League squad earlier this month, with Howe having several options to choose from at right-back.

Manquillo returned to training this week to give Howe a selection headache ahead of another trip to the capital.

However, the Toon boss hinted towards starting Krafth when asked by BBC Radio Newcastle, calling the 27-year-old a ‘reliable’ member of the squad.

“Krafthy is a player that we really like,” Howe said.

“He’s got good physical capabilities, is a good size and a very good defender. He's someone that gets his head down, works hard, is very diligent, very professional.

“He’s obviously got very good experience with the international team as well, so he is a very reliable performer and I think he can have a big impact on our team and I'm looking forward to seeing Krafthy and Manqi (Manquillo) battle it out for that right-back spot.

“We have two very good players in that position.”