ALBION could join the fad for three central defenders in the Premier League – but it will not happen against Newcastle.

Boss Chris Hughton used the system for the first time to good effect in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup extra-time defeat at Bournemouth after making ten changes.

He has no immediate plans to switch as Newcastle head to the Amex on Sunday, but it has given him “food for thought”.

The 3-4-3 system Hughton experimented with at Bournemouth has grown in popularity in the Premier League.

He said: “It certainly gave me food for thought. The reason I played it was because of the players I knew I wanted to play.

“We also had a very young two players in centre midfield (Jayson Molumby and Dessie Hutchinson) and I felt we just needed that little bit of protection behind them.

“Certainly it went well enough for me to maybe consider it. It’s generally not a formation that I’ve used so much or even last season, but for the personnel we had the other night it suited us and it’s not something I would disregard going forward.”

Hughton’s pledge offers hope to fringe players like Connor Goldson, who formed the defensive barrier at Bournemouth with Liam Rosenior and Uwe Huenemeier.

A loan move to Ipswich for Goldson collapsed on the final day of the transfer window.

The adventurous Ezequiel Schelotto, who made his debut on Tuesday, has operated in the past as a right wing-back.