Newcastle Utd return to Premier League action on Saturday lunchtime when they face West Ham Utd in the tv enforced 12.30pm kick off fixture.
The International break has been one of mixed feelings on Tyneside with Lewis Miley joining the injured list after returning early from the England U20 group with a reported back problem.
Coupled with the news that Sven Botman has undergone an operation to repair his torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament and reports that Bruno Guimarães was withdrawn at half time from Brazil’s midweek fixture with a thigh strain, Eddie Howe must be wondering when his luck will change.
Guimarães is expected to start on Saturday but Sandro Tonali, Nick Pope, Callum Wilson, Joelinton and Sven Botman are all out.
On the positive side Howe is hopeful that he will have Harvey Barnes, Kieran Trippier and Tino Livramento back in his squad ahead of three games in eight days with Everton coming to St James’ Park on Tuesday, before Howe takes his team to Craven Cottage to face Fulham next Saturday.
At his press conference on Friday morning Howe laid out the importance he places on his squad seeing out the season in style, with European places up for grabs for a top eight finish this season, which makes the next three fixtures doubly important as the chase for points continues.
“With these 10 games, it is an opportunity for us to finish the season strong. We are looking for consistency in results. We are focused on building and finding some positive momentum”.
Howe also attempted to clear up the issue surrounding Botman’s injury and the fact that the player initially suffered the injury back in September but chose not to rectify the problem through surgery but instead chose to undertake a period of non-surgical rehab saying “We sought specialist opinion on that injury and there were conflicting reports coming back on what he should do next. Ultimately, our medical team advised him to have surgery. He wanted to carry on playing and we're always trying to guide the players, but ultimately, it's their bodies and they have to make the final decision. Unfortunately, he succumbed to the injury eventually”.
Whether Botman “succumbed to the injury eventually” or was forced to face up to the inevitable is now last weeks news. What is a fact is that the player is facing a nine-to-twelve-month layoff; something that neither player nor club can afford.
Howe also addressed the situation surrounding Sandro Tonali following the news that the FA have now charged the player with a further set of alleged betting breaches.
“The news that there was an FA charge, that illness didn't stop when he moved to England. That illness was there, and people should look it that way - not let's throw the book at him and punish him even further because I don't think that gets to the root of the problem. We need to protect all our players. This is something that's open to everybody and becoming a bigger problem in society. This isn't just a problem for Sandro”.
West Ham meanwhile will be without the suspended Edson Alverez while Maxwel Cornet, Mohammed Kudus, Nayef Aguerd and Lucas Paqueta are all rated as doubtful.
The match Referee is Rob Jones, and his Assistants are Ian Hussin and Wade Smith. The Fourth official is Darren Bond while the VAR Hut is manned by David Coote and his Assistant VAR official Eddie Smart.
The International break has been one of mixed feelings on Tyneside with Lewis Miley joining the injured list after returning early from the England U20 group with a reported back problem.
Coupled with the news that Sven Botman has undergone an operation to repair his torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament and reports that Bruno Guimarães was withdrawn at half time from Brazil’s midweek fixture with a thigh strain, Eddie Howe must be wondering when his luck will change.
Guimarães is expected to start on Saturday but Sandro Tonali, Nick Pope, Callum Wilson, Joelinton and Sven Botman are all out.
On the positive side Howe is hopeful that he will have Harvey Barnes, Kieran Trippier and Tino Livramento back in his squad ahead of three games in eight days with Everton coming to St James’ Park on Tuesday, before Howe takes his team to Craven Cottage to face Fulham next Saturday.
At his press conference on Friday morning Howe laid out the importance he places on his squad seeing out the season in style, with European places up for grabs for a top eight finish this season, which makes the next three fixtures doubly important as the chase for points continues.
“With these 10 games, it is an opportunity for us to finish the season strong. We are looking for consistency in results. We are focused on building and finding some positive momentum”.
Howe also attempted to clear up the issue surrounding Botman’s injury and the fact that the player initially suffered the injury back in September but chose not to rectify the problem through surgery but instead chose to undertake a period of non-surgical rehab saying “We sought specialist opinion on that injury and there were conflicting reports coming back on what he should do next. Ultimately, our medical team advised him to have surgery. He wanted to carry on playing and we're always trying to guide the players, but ultimately, it's their bodies and they have to make the final decision. Unfortunately, he succumbed to the injury eventually”.
Whether Botman “succumbed to the injury eventually” or was forced to face up to the inevitable is now last weeks news. What is a fact is that the player is facing a nine-to-twelve-month layoff; something that neither player nor club can afford.
Howe also addressed the situation surrounding Sandro Tonali following the news that the FA have now charged the player with a further set of alleged betting breaches.
“The news that there was an FA charge, that illness didn't stop when he moved to England. That illness was there, and people should look it that way - not let's throw the book at him and punish him even further because I don't think that gets to the root of the problem. We need to protect all our players. This is something that's open to everybody and becoming a bigger problem in society. This isn't just a problem for Sandro”.
West Ham meanwhile will be without the suspended Edson Alverez while Maxwel Cornet, Mohammed Kudus, Nayef Aguerd and Lucas Paqueta are all rated as doubtful.
The match Referee is Rob Jones, and his Assistants are Ian Hussin and Wade Smith. The Fourth official is Darren Bond while the VAR Hut is manned by David Coote and his Assistant VAR official Eddie Smart.
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