Strength in depth has never been more apparent than the competition for the right back slot, says Carlos Carvalhal.
Liam Palmer and Jack Hunt have battled for the berth through the season so far and the head coach has lauded the options at his disposal.
Carvalhal said: “I have said many times that we need two players for each position and this you can see at right back.
“We have two very, very good players in that position and it can be normal for one player to play and the other one to be out of the 18.
“This has happened with Liam Palmer and Jack Hunt and there is no problem.
“I understand the questions from journalists when they ask if a player does well, why is he out of the squad next time?
“But to me this is normal. I have to consider the substitutes, what someone can do from the bench, and it means nothing if someone is left out of the squad.”
Carvalhal added: “Take Ross Wallace, for example. He was man of the match against Fulham and then not in the 18 for Newcastle.
“As I have said, this is perfectly normal for me. We have a squad of players, that is why it is called a squad.
“When a player comes into the team, he knows he has probably played already so he knows he is always in my plans.
“It is a question of confidence. You have to be ready at all times and when you come into the team, you perform better with the confidence of having already played, you know you are not just an emergency option.”