Newcastle legend Alan Shearer is worried about their defence ahead of facing Liverpool.
Shearer says the back four appear to be flagging.
"(Sven) Botman has come back and Dan Burn has come back and they didn't look anywhere near fit," Shearer told the Rest is Football podcast. They looked two yards short of what they normally are.
Eddie (Howe) went back to his trusted back four - (Kieran) Trippier, (Fabian) Schar, Botman and Dan Burn - which has been really successful for him over the past 18 months or so. He went back to that but those two in particular didn't look anywhere near fit.
It's difficult, unless you are inside the training ground you haven't a clue what's going on, but looking at them on the pitch they looked miles off."