Newcastle United Head Coach Eddie Howe has given a positive injury update on the fitness of Sven Botman, Joelinton and Sandro Tonali ahead of the Magpies’ league fixture away at Liverpool. Daniel Wales reports.
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00:00Newcastle United visit Anfield on Wednesday evening, following a rather stressful victory against Nottingham Forest on Sunday at St James' Park.
00:09The Magpies led 4-1 at half time, but two sloppy goals conceded on the hour mark and then just before stoppage time made the ending a nervy affair for much of the stadium.
00:19Newcastle's performance was very much a case of Jekyll and Hyde, with the first half being full of purpose and intensity, whereas the second lacked the same energy.
00:28The Magpies were also still without Sven Bottman and Joe Linton, and Sandro Tonali was reduced to a substitute appearance because of a concern over his hamstring.
00:38Eddie Howe, however, gave positive updates on the fitness of Bottman, Joe Linton and Tonali, as Joe Buck of the Shields Gazette reports.
00:46The big news of the day is obviously the injuries, as always, they're always a big talking point.
00:51Sandro Tonali will be fit. He obviously played on Sunday, but started on the bench.
00:57Eddie Howe admitted after the win over Nottingham Forest that he would ideally not have risked Tonali in that game, but he had to because, you know, they lacked control in that second half.
01:06But fortunately the Italian will be fit. Howe said he anticipates no issues with him.
01:12Sven Bottman, he's getting closer to returning, he hasn't featured since the win over Arsenal earlier this month.
01:17Howe said he'll be very close in potentiating contention, so that's one to keep an eye on.
01:21Now Joe Linton, another who's been injured even earlier than Bottman, he got injured against Fulham.
01:27I think it's a little bit less certain whether he will play. Eddie Howe said that he's again close, he compared him to Bottman, but his answer to me after that suggests that he might not make the Liverpool game,
01:39or certainly might not make the start on 11 and might end up having to settle for a start against Brighton in the Cup on Sunday.
01:46So yeah, they're the three main injury ones. Obviously Jamala Salah's the only other long-term injury.
01:51One of Newcastle's standout players on Sunday was Lewis Miley.
01:55The 18-year-old remained composed throughout the encounter, with his performance catching the eye of his head coach, Eddie Howe, who praised him in the press conference.
02:08The rest of the press conference was a lot centred on Lewis Miley.
02:11Obviously he was really good against Nottingham Forest, particularly in that first half, as a lot of his teammates were, but he got that goal.
02:16He's enjoyed a couple of performances in recent times where he's just getting back after that injury.
02:23He's played a lot last season. He was forced to play a lot because of injuries, but now he's fourth or fifth choice centre-mid.
02:31If you've got Bruno, Tonali, Joe Linton and Joe Willock ahead of him.
02:34But yeah, a lot of praise for him and what he could be in the future.
02:38Eddie Howe, a lot of praise for him, as expected, but wants him to continue to develop, continue to learn off his coaches.
02:46So we'll just see what his role between now and the end of the season is and whether he can get regular games under his belt
02:52and whether he forces himself into Eddie Howe's plans for next season onwards.
03:00Thanks for watching.