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Matthias Jaissle must hand Newcastle rising star his debut, 89.6% and 4.12 stats show why
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- Matthias Jaissle must hand Newcastle rising star his debut, 89.6% and 4.12 stats show why
Miodrag Pivas should be handed his senior Newcastle debut against West Brom on Wednesday after impressing for their under-21 side.
Matthias Jaissle will have his first taste of a cup competition at Newcastle this week as Championship side West Brom visit St James' Park.
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The second round of the Carabao Cup will represent a chance for the new Magpies manager to rotate his squad after their opening Premier League clash against Liverpool .
He is dealing with some issues at centre-back ahead of the match, as club captain Dan Burn is sidelined until late September with an ankle problem.
Academy star Pivas deserves his chance to impress at senior level for the first time, over two years on since he arrived on Tyneside.
The 21-year-old featured under Jaissle in pre-season and should be drafted into the starting eleven as they search for more viable, homegrown options in the middle of defence.
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Miodrag Pivas should be starting against West Brom as rotation beckons
Sven Botman and Malick Thiaw are set to be Newcastle's main starting pair at centre-back this season after they impressed against Liverpool.
Burn's injury has left Fabian Schar as Jaissle's only other senior, recognised option to feature against the Baggies if he wishes to properly rotate before another key league clash against Spurs this weekend.
Pivas can play across the backline and has played at full-back under Jaissle in pre-season, but is a centre-back by trade and has been a regular there for the Magpies' under-21s.
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He impressed in the Premier League 2 during 2025-26, making 17 appearances and emerging with 89.6 per cent pass accuracy (81st percentile compared to centre-backs), 4.12 recoveries per 90 and 4.62 clearances per 90.
The Serbian youth international was only dispossessed twice in 1,443 minutes played, while he was also only dribbled past four times, so would provide a tough test for West Brom's forwards on Wednesday.
He was taken off at half-time in the under-21s clash against Tottenham on Monday night, in a clear hint that he could be involved against the Baggies.
With Burn injured and the club not planning to sign a new centre-back, it seems a no-brainer for Jaissle to hand Pivas a senior debut to see if he can handle the pressure of the first team alongside an experienced operator like Schar.
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Sources previously revealed to Football Insiderthat Newcastle were admirers of Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini , but reports have stated that they will not enter the market to bolster Jaissle's centre-back options despite Burn's injury.
Jaissle has earned a reputation for placing his faith in younger players during his time in charge of other clubs, and looks set to continue that trend in the North East.
He hinted at doing so this week while speaking to reporters ahead of Wednesday's game, saying: "As much as possible, I want to see the young lads, the young talents, because then you get a good feeling in terms of how they develop, if they are getting closer towards the first team.
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"Then, maybe they are also getting closer towards their first minutes in the Premier League. But what happens next is also affected by what happens in the transfer market. It's always a bit of a balance. They can train with us, but then on the other hand, they also need to get game time to develop."
Pivas looks to be in a strong position to feature against the Baggies, and could even be in line for a starting berth.
