Newcastle face Manchester United on Sunday, a club that arguably seem to be suffering equally as much as Steve Bruce's side in the grand scheme of things.
The Manchester club spent excessive amounts during the summer transfer window, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team are still looking for answers in attack having recently drawn 0-0 with AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League.
Man United are 10th in the Premier League at present, with only two wins in seven matches. Interestingly, those victories came against arguably the toughest opponents they've faced so far in Chelsea and Leicester, while suffering defeats to Crystal Palace and West Ham as well as drawing with the likes of Southampton and Wolves.
Ultimately, those results offer an insight into Man United's struggles at present, as they have clear strengths and weaknesses that the Magpies can consider.
Solskjaer's squad, above all, seems highly suited to counter-attacking football rather than an incisive possession game. The likes of Marcus Rashford, Daniel James and Anthony Martial wish to run into space behind opposing defences, while Harry Maguire is perhaps best suited to soaking pressure in deep areas rather than defending near the halfway line.
In midfield, Man United have a real lack of creativity, with Paul Pogba being the only player with the vision and technique to execute game-changing passes on a regular basis.
The team's possession game is flawed at present, with a lack of answers when required to break down a stubborn defence.
Bruce's tactics for Sunday's clash can be implemented accordingly, by hiding the Red Devils' strengths while highlighting their weaknesses.
One decision in particular that Bruce has to make relates to Isaac Hayden's place in the team, as he will miss the contest due to suspension. The Newcastle boss has various options to fill the void, with Jonjo Shelvey's case perhaps being the most interesting.
The English midfielder lacks discipline in some areas, but his passing execution is arguably what Solskjaer's team lacks.
The range of Shelvey's possession game can be captured by the numbers.
A total of 75 central midfielders have amassed over 950 minutes in the Premier League over the course of the past year, with Shelvey top for long passes per 90 minutes. He's also first for passes to the final third per 90, fifth for through passes per 90 and fifth for passes into the penalty area per 90.
That is somewhat remarkable considering he's playing for a largely defensive team in comparison to other players who assume possession much more regularly. Shelvey may have benefited in the standings by playing fewer minutes in total than others, but his output still offers an insight into how penetrative and direct his passing can be.
If Newcastle are set to defend behind the ball for the majority of the contest in order to expose Man United's possession flaws, then Shelvey's passing may prove to be decisive when he's required to launch a counter-attack, shown below.
Providing the likes of Miguel Almiron, Joelinton and Christian Atsu are running beyond him, Shelvey may be able to provide Newcastle with that crucial inventive pass that highlights the lack of speed in Man United's defence, with the space afforded pictured below.
The Englishman will have to remain focused defensively if Newcastle's plan is to work properly, but as Hayden's replacement, Shelvey may be worth the risk because of his quality on the ball.
