Dominic Scurr reflects on Eddie Howe's Newcastle United press conference ahead of Sunday's match against Nottingham Forest.
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00:00Hello everyone, just walking outside the Newcastle United Media Centre where we've been speaking to Eddie Howe ahead of Newcastle United Premier League match against Nottingham Forest at St James' Park.
00:13Huge game for Newcastle, 6 points clear of them in the table, sitting 3rd Newcastle, 2nd Newcastle and a disappointing result in the Premier League.
00:233 defeats in the last 4 Premier League games including each of the last 2 at St James' Park which previously was such a fortress for Eddie Howe's side.
00:33Speaking ahead of the game, a big talking point was obviously the return once again of Chris Wood who's in fine form, 18 Premier League goals this season.
00:44He's outscored Alexander Isak in the Premier League so as much as we want to hype up Alexander Isak, you've got to give credit to Chris Wood for how he's rejuvenated things at Nottingham Forest after a frustrating year at Newcastle United.
00:58He'd only scored 4 goals but he scored 3 in this fixture last season for Forest in that 3-1 win against Newcastle.
01:07Newcastle actually had a good record against Forest, particularly away from home so they'll be looking to bounce back from their recent home defeats but also the 3-1 defeat in this fixture last season.
01:22Newcastle, I think a win is almost crucial in terms of their ambitions if they want to catch Forest and get in those Champions League places.
01:32Obviously it's looking like 5 places for the Premier League this season so it's good news for Forest who sit 3rd but Newcastle in that chasing pack will need to be closing the gap and what better opportunity to do that than against Forest at home on Sunday 2pm kick-off.
01:50In terms of the team news, Sven Botman is still out with a knee injury. No super clear update from Eddie Howe who spoke after the Man City game about Sven Botman and Eddie Howe was hoping that he'd be back for this game after that knee injury picked up against Arsenal at the start of the month.
02:10He's now missed the last two games, it's going to be three now and you'd imagine after a decent time out that Liverpool game he's a major doubt for that as well so all of a sudden a minor knee injury and knock as Eddie Howe initially described it is now looking like the best part of a month out for Sven Botman and given his history of knee injuries particularly last season and at the start of this season that's a little bit concerning.
02:36So Eddie Howe did stress that it's no major injury, it's not like last season where it was an undiagnosed ACL injury, that initial knee injury and no setback as such, it's just pain still in that knee and the club just being extra careful regarding Sven Botman's fitness.
02:56Another injury update of sorts and again a similar topic in terms of a knee injury, Jamal Lascelles because Eddie Howe a few weeks ago said well he will be there or there abouts in terms of getting back into training, getting back up to full speed, Jamal Lascelles in a few weeks but now asked for an update this morning and he said it's looking like towards the back end of the season in terms of getting back to playing again for Jamal Lascelles.
03:24So you're looking at at least a year on the sidelines for Jamal Lascelles after picking up that ACL injury against West Ham United last March so yeah, big spell out for him. Was he going to play a key role anyway in terms of starting games? Probably not but when the defence is looking a little bit short in terms of numbers in the centre back positions after losing Lloyd Kelly, obviously Sven Botman's injury, Eddie Howe's injury.
03:54The key player in terms of a leader in Jamal Lascelles being out pretty much unlikely to play between now and the end of the season in terms of starting games is a blow. Especially when you look at the Cowboy Cup final as well where he's been the captain for so long, Bruno is the club captain or the matchday captain if you like but Jamal Lascelles is still the official captain.
04:20So it's a blow for him that he pretty much misses that Cowboy Cup final as well. So yeah, that's it on the injury front Joe Linton again making good strides in his recovery. Probably the Brighton game in the FA Cup next weekend looking more realistic for him. Won't play this game, doubt he'll play West Ham as well. So yeah, that's sort of the situation heading into this weekend in terms of player fitness.
04:44Again the talking points, I touched on Chris but another big talking point, Elliot Anderson as well who obviously had to be sold by Newcastle last summer to help him comply with PSR and Eddie Howe's, I mean I'd say almost with gritted teeth, it wasn't literally gritted teeth but pleased to see Elliot Anderson do well but also a sense of frustration to see him do so well at Nottingham Forest, the Champions League chasing club when Eddie Howe had such high hopes for him.
05:14Elliot Anderson at Newcastle but due to circumstances not necessarily in his control has been sort of forced to sell him and now Nottingham Forest are enjoying the fruits of Newcastle's labour in terms of working on Elliot Anderson for so many years, developing him into the player he is and now the player Nottingham Forest are sort of benefiting from.
05:38So that's obviously a sense of frustration but it will be Elliot Anderson's first game back at Newcastle at the weekend. I'm sure he'll get a good reception but yeah it's a frustrating one for Newcastle.
05:55I'm sure Elliot Anderson in some ways is a boyhood club, he didn't want to leave by any means but it's probably a move that has worked out well for him on a personal level because as players like Lewis Miley, Sean Longstaff, Joe Willock to a degree are finding out this season, getting into that midfield is particularly difficult given the form and ability of players like Bruno, Sandro Tonali, Joe Linton as well although he's currently out injured which sort of brings me on nicely to the next step.
06:25Who comes into the midfield on Sunday because Joe Willock came in, was substituted at half time, Lewis Miley came on, this is against Manchester City, Lewis Miley came on and by all accounts I think he did very well in the circumstances so for me I think Lewis Miley comes into the team on Sunday for Joe Willock and then Bruno and Sandro Tonali keep their place in the midfield.
06:52I don't think any other changes really except maybe right back Kieran Trippier again who was substituted at half time against Manchester City, possibly comes out Tino Livimento who came on and did okay against Manchester City, certainly better than Kieran Trippier did in that first half so I'd say those are the two changes almost rectifying the two changes Eddie Howe made at Manchester City where he brought Joe Willock and Kieran Trippier in.
07:18I think two more changes we'll see those two players drop out and Lewis Miley and Tino Livimento come back in so yeah I'll have all the coverage and build up to that game over on the Shields Gazette and of course from myself at domskir on X or Twitter whatever you want to call it so yeah all the fallout from Eddie Howe's press conference, all the previews looking ahead to Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
07:48As well as all the reaction and fallout from that game because I'll be there at St James's Park joined by my colleague Joe Buck, hopefully it's a little bit less windy on Sunday but we'll see you there and thanks for watching, cheers.