Chris Waugh has insisted on Pod on the Tyne that Anthony Gordon will become a Newcastle United regular sooner than perhaps expected.

The Lowdown: Howe now has options

For a long time during the first half of the season, Eddie Howe was rather limited when it came to his team selection, with the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin, Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson spending time on the sidelines.

However, following the arrival of Gordon from Everton for £40m and Saint-Maximin returning to full fitness, the Magpies now have choices in the forward areas.

Their January arrival was indeed handed his debut against West Ham United and almost made an instant impact when he slipped Wilson through on goal, only for the No 9 to see Nayef Aguerd race back and make a last-ditch tackle, although the striker did praise Gordon for his substitute cameo, claiming he has a 'bright future' ahead of him.

The Latest: Gordon will soon be a starter

Despite having just 22 minutes under his belt as a Newcastle player, Waugh was indeed impressed and believes the winger will be a starter for Howe sooner rather than later.

He said: "I thought that he looked like a very Eddie Howe-style player - he's tall, he's physical, he gets around the pitch, he presses and he can play in several different kinds of positions, he's adaptable, will do exactly what is needed for the team, but will add that little bit of flair.

"That's almost like the ideal Eddie Howe player, combining those factors, and he certainly brought it [against West Ham]. I think he injected something into the game and into that Newcastle side which had been lacking, and it will be fascinating to see how he's used going forward.

"I think he may come into the side slightly quicker than some of the other players previously - people are referring to how long it took for Bruno Guimaraes and Sven Botman.

"The plan initially was he wasn't going to be in the team as quickly, but Gordon is Premier League-experienced and I think sooner or later, he will be getting into that side more regularly than not."

The Verdict: Competition for places will be a good thing

PIF will likely be keen to see their latest expensive signing getting regular minutes under Howe, but they will also understand that the Newcastle boss knows how to get the best out of his players, so will leave him to his job.

However, after Saint-Maximin failed to make an impact on Saturday against West Ham - completing just one take-on and only managing a single progressive pass in 68 minutes (FBref), it wouldn't be a surprise to see him dropped for Gordon this weekend.

Given that Gordon is cup-tied for the Carabao Cup final, it would make sense to use him a lot in the Premier League while keeping the likes of Miguel Almiron and Saint-Maximin fresh for their trip to Wembley at the end of the month.