Tim Krul has said that some of his fellow players were still feeling the effects of Saturday’s match at Old Trafford.
The former Newcastle midfielder says that games have always come thick and fast in the Premier League and this is why so many foreign players have struggled to adapt to life in England.
Lee does though think that Steve McClaren will have factored in the fact of which players will have played all three matches and where they are at physically in their recovery from the Man Utd match.
Newcastle fans are actually looking forward to a number of changes, with the likes of Thauvin, Aarons and de Jong likely to play.
However, there have been claims by some journalists, such as Craig Hope of The Mail, that up to nine changes could be made tonight – a figure that would be stretching it a little too far for most fans.
“So some Newcastle players are saying they are ‘knackered’ after playing four games in just 17 days, well that’s just the way the Premier League is.
“Games have always come thick and fast and if you want to win trophies – and that is definitely Newcastle’s aim – you have to compete in a lot of competitions.”
“I know that is the reason why some foreign players have struggled to adapt to the pace of life in the Premier League in the past but it is part and parcel of British football.”
“I am sure the manager and his coaching staff will take into account the amount of games already played and the fixtures ahead and adapt the training to suit.
“I was a player who always preferred playing to training and I believe that you can only really get match sharp by playing competitive games. Training may well get you fit but it’s no match for the real thing.”