Our Newcastle United writer Dominic Scurr reflects on Eddie Howe's pre match press conference ahead of the Premier League trip to Arsenal on Sunday.
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00:00Here outside the Newcastle United Media Centre where we've been speaking to Eddie Howe ahead of Newcastle United's trip to Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
00:10Where to start? Well, we'll start where Eddie Howe started on the injury front.
00:13Big questions surrounding the likes of Sven Botman, Kieran Trippier, Joe Willick, even Joe Linton as well who's missed the past few games.
00:20So on Sven Botman, Eddie Howe played down things slightly because there was fear Sven Botman's season could be over.
00:28We've had reports earlier in the week saying as such he's been first scan and Eddie Howe said, look, Sven Botman's picked up a knock.
00:36He's obviously been unlucky with injuries, picked up a knock against Chelsea to his knee, which has caused him all sorts of problems the past couple of seasons.
00:44But Newcastle will give him every chance to be fit for the trip to the Emirates Stadium.
00:49A major doubt, no doubt. He may not feature again this season.
00:51We'll obviously have to look at Sven Botman's injury record and we've been in this situation before with Sven Botman
00:57where it's initially innocuous looking injury, something described as not major, has ended up almost ballooning and becoming a bit more longer term.
01:05So Eddie Howe was keen to play things down in that regard, but whether we'll see Sven Botman again this season, as Eddie Howe would say, let's wait and see.
01:14So elsewhere in the squad, there's Joe Willick who missed the previous game,
01:21the 2-0 win against Chelsea with a knee issue and Eddie Howe said he's got a chance of being available for the trip to Arsenal,
01:30but a player who won't be available is Kieran Trippier, who has been nursing a calf problem.
01:36And again, same goes for Joe Linton with his knee issue, set to miss another game.
01:43And Eddie Howe actually said, unlikely to see him for the remainder of the season, which is a blow,
01:48but that's been a fairly consistent message over the past couple of weeks that Joe Linton's knee injury that's flared up again
01:55this final month of the season is likely to keep him out for the remainder of the campaign,
02:00though he is working hard on the training pitch.
02:03Positive news on the injury front, we've seen Jamal LaSalle's return to action.
02:07He was on the bench against Chelsea, he played 45 minutes in a training ground-friendly game
02:15against a Celtic B team during the week, and Eddie Howe said, well, he could have a role to play in the final two games,
02:23probably not from the start, given how long he's been out, 13 months on the sidelines with an ACL injury,
02:28but if Jamal LaSalle does get on the pitch, then it'll likely be as a substitute.
02:34In addition to that, I guess it's sort of a nothing problem, really, or nothing question,
02:43but I guess it's an important thing to address, because better address it now than when it actually happens on the pitch.
02:51But obviously, Jamal LaSalle's historic club captain for Newcastle since 2016.
02:56This season, Bruno Gimmeraes has been the team captain, he's been wearing the armband whenever he's been on the pitch,
03:02so what was asked to Eddie Howe, if Bruno and Jamal LaSalle's on the pitch together,
03:07something that hasn't happened since March last year, who will wear the armband?
03:12And Eddie Howe said in no uncertain terms that it would be Bruno, in fact, who wears the armband.
03:17So officially, he is the recognised team captain.
03:21Jamal LaSalle has a more overseeing training ground role as the team captain, the club captain,
03:28whatever the various names of it are.
03:31Ultimately, Eddie Howe stressed the leadership group as a whole play an important role.
03:36You can't just have one captain as such for 30-odd players, it just doesn't work like that.
03:41On the pitch, Bruno wears the armband.
03:44Away from that, you've also got Kieran Trippier, Dan Byrne,
03:48Jacob Murphy, part of the leadership group, Callum Wilson as well.
03:51So that's that situation almost cleared up.
03:55And looking ahead to Arsenal, obviously a huge game.
03:58Newcastle know a draw would secure a top-six finish.
04:02A win would effectively secure a top-five finish,
04:05giving their goal difference advantage over Aston Villa.
04:08And with that, Champions League qualification.
04:11So massive carrot going into the trip to the Emirates Stadium.
04:15And Arsenal not completely out of the woods just yet in terms of Champions League qualification.
04:19They need another point from their final two games, so definitely looking likely.
04:24But if Newcastle get a win, something...
04:26I mean, they've beaten Arsenal three times already this season.
04:28If they were to make it four out of four, a clean sweep,
04:31although their record in the Premier League at the Emirates Stadium leaves a lot to be desired.
04:36But if they can repeat the 2-0 win they did in the Carabao Cup back in January,
04:41then Newcastle will move into second heading into the final day of the season,
04:45which is just remarkable when you look at where they were early December sitting 12th in the table.
04:50They're miles off the likes of Arsenal in terms of points, but a remarkable run.
04:56I think it's 21 wins from the last 28 games.
05:00Absolutely incredible run of form.
05:02I've seen them climb up the table, win the Carabao Cup.
05:04But it's been a remarkable 2025 so far, and hopefully it continues with Champions League qualification for Newcastle United.
05:13But then, looking ahead to the summer, Eddie Howe continues to go quite strong on transfers.
05:18He wouldn't mention any names or anything like that,
05:22but he said in his previous press conference after the Chelsea game that it's going to be a big summer for Newcastle United.
05:27And he went as far as saying pretty much what we all know, but it's nice to hear it from the horse's mouth,
05:33where he said, look, previous transfer windows have been hampered by PSR.
05:37That is not the case this summer, so there's no reason why Newcastle can't strengthen.
05:42So that is very promising to hear.
05:44Eddie Howe on the record saying, big summer, strengthening, no PSR issues.
05:50So that's great to see, and hopefully we'll have a big summer to come.
05:55And no doubt, Champions League qualification, if Newcastle indeed get it, will be a further boost to that.
06:01So for all the fallout from Eddie Howe's press conference, check out shieldsgazette.com
06:05or myself at DomSkir on X, where we'll be looking ahead to the Arsenal game
06:09and also have all the reaction from that.
06:11I'll be down at Emirates Stadium on Sunday, looking ahead and hopefully reporting on another big win for Newcastle United.
06:20See you there.