Newcastle United defender Matt Targett will be feeling frustrated and even hurt right now, says journalist Dean Jones.

The Englishman was a regular for the Magpies last season but has since lost his place in the team.

GiveMeSport The Verdict

How many league games has Targett started in the 2022/23 campaign?

Last term, Targett made 16 starts in the Premier League for Newcastle following his loan move to St James' Park.

The Tyneside club, of course, went on to sign him permanently from Aston Villa in a £15m deal (via BBC Sport), so it looked like he was going to be Eddie Howe's first-choice left-back for this campaign. However, that has not exactly turned out to be the case.

This season, Targett has started just four league games, with Howe preferring to use centre-half Dan Burn in the left-back position in Newcastle's last couple of fixtures.

It is early days, but it will be a bit of a concern for the 27-year-old.

What has Jones said about Targett?

Jones says the situation is far from ideal for Targett, though he can see him eventually coming back into the team.

When asked if the former Villa man will be frustrated with how things are going for him right now, the journalist told GIVEMESPORT: "Yeah, I think he should be frustrated. If he wasn't, then there's probably something wrong with his ambition and where he's at in his career, so I'm sure he's feeling hurt by it, as you would be when you're not in the team.

"To see Dan Burn in your spot, too, it's not ideal, but his job now is to win his shirt back. And look, I'm sure Matt Target is somebody that will come back into the picture."

Can Targett win his spot back?

It is definitely not mission impossible. It is a long season, and Targett is a very useful player.

He has plenty of experience playing at this level, making just under 150 appearances in the Premier League, and has already proven that he is a good fit for this Newcastle team.

Last season, Targett averaged 2.6 tackles per game in the top flight - only Kieran Trippier (2.8) made more in Howe's squad (via WhoScored).

He was also in the top two for interceptions after recording an average of 1.6, further showing his defensive ability.

All in all, then, you would still expect Targett to get plenty of game time this season.

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