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00:00So yeah, we are at Newcastle United's media centre.
00:02We've been speaking to Eddie Howe this morning
00:05ahead of Sunday's Premier League trip to Arsenal.
00:08A big game for Newcastle United.
00:10If they can get three points at the Emirates,
00:13that will see them qualify for next season's Champions League.
00:16You'll also see them clout second in the Premier League table
00:19heading at the final day against Everton
00:20where they'd have the chance to finish
00:22as runners up in the Premier League for the first time since 96-97.
00:26So a big weekend in store potentially.
00:30Newcastle got a great record against Arsenal this season.
00:35Three games, three wins, no goals conceded, of course.
00:39The 1-0 win at St. James' Park in the Premier League
00:41followed up by the two Carabao Cup games,
00:442-0 each way at the Emirates and then at St. James' Park.
00:47So Newcastle have had Arsenal's number this season.
00:49That isn't usually the case, particularly the Emirates,
00:51but they can go there with confidence and with that real incentive
00:55to get the job done and avoid a final day showdown against Everton.
00:59So, yeah, looking at the team news ahead of the trip to the Emirates,
01:05Newcastle will make a late call on Sven Botman and Joe Willock.
01:11Sven Botman, of course, made his first Premier League start
01:14in three months against Chelsea last week
01:16but came off around the 55th minute after icing a knee problem at half-time,
01:21of course, given Sven Botman's recent history with knee problems.
01:27You do feel the worse than he had that,
01:29but Eddie Howe has allayed those fears in the press room there
01:32and says it's just a knock.
01:35He'll be assessed ahead of Sunday.
01:37They'll give him every chance of featuring him.
01:39The same goes for Joe Willock as well.
01:40He missed the Chelsea game with a knee issue
01:44but has a chance of making the visit to his former club.
01:49Two players that won't be involved.
01:51Kieran Trippiart, he is unavailable.
01:54Eddie Howe says it's not a major car fish.
01:56You described it as minor, but won't be involved this weekend
01:59and that potentially means he won't play again this season.
02:03Then the other one is Joe Linton,
02:05who, which isn't too much of a surprise,
02:07I think Eddie Howe has sort of left the door maybe to a Joe Linton return.
02:10He's always said it's unlikely,
02:12but never really categorically ruled it out.
02:14Well, today he sort of did and said that there's a big possibility
02:18that they won't see Joe Linton until next season,
02:22which is a shame, particularly going into the Emirates as well.
02:24It'll be nice to wield Joe Linton now for one game
02:26because he really does get under the skin of Arsenal's fans and players,
02:30but they'll be without him at the Emirates,
02:32which at the stage of the season,
02:35as Newcastle are starting to pick up a few injuries,
02:36I think they've had really good luck with injuries this season.
02:40They haven't picked up too many,
02:41but yeah, they've started to look a little bit depleted
02:43at the back end of the season,
02:45but he's rather picked up injuries now
02:47than in the middle of the season
02:48because, as I say, they can get the job done.
02:50They can limp over the line if they need to,
02:52but yeah, they've been all right with injuries,
02:54but it's just starting to creep up with them a little bit in the last few weeks.
02:58Now, I asked Eddie Howe about Jamal Lascelles.
03:01Now, Eddie Howe deployed a back five against Chelsea last week
03:04with Sven Botman, Dan Byrne,
03:06and Fabian Scher is the three centre-backs,
03:11but of course, if Sven Botman is unavailable,
03:12then Eddie Howe wants to go for back three again at Arsenal,
03:14which he did in the cup game there in January,
03:17and the home game in the second leg of the Carabao Cup.
03:20So, if he wants to do that again,
03:21who would come in for Sven Botman if he's unavailable?
03:23Well, I think you'll probably know it will likely be Emil Kraft,
03:27but I thought I'd ask the question about Jamal Lascelles
03:29because he played his first minutes, 45 minutes he played in midweek
03:34against a Celtic B team, the under-21s came through unscathed,
03:37but understandably so,
03:39that Eddie Howe would be fairly reluctant to call upon Jamal Lascelles
03:43given he's been out for 13 months.
03:45So, I think they would much rather get a good pre-season under his belt
03:49and then look to play him next season,
03:51but he said, yeah, his role will likely be restricted
03:54to any sort of cameo roles off the bench,
03:56but in terms of starting potentially at the Emirates,
03:59that's very, very unlikely.
04:01Away from the team news and then looking ahead
04:02to the summer months transfers,
04:05the summer transfer into an eagerly anticipated period it will be
04:10given Newcastle haven't secured a major signing
04:14in three consecutive transfers.
04:16Eddie Howe's done a remarkable job to get Newcastle to win a cup
04:20and be in the race for European qualification
04:24without strengthening the squad.
04:26It was only in January we were really talking about the squad going,
04:29they're stale because of their lack of signings,
04:32but what a job he has done.
04:34But I think Eddie Howe dropped his biggest hint yet
04:37that Newcastle will be able to go out and sign players in the summer,
04:42referencing PSR.
04:43He said that Newcastle don't have any PSR issues this summer.
04:47So with that, it threatens to be, threatens,
04:52it should be an exciting window for Newcastle United.
04:55Of course, lots of positions there will look to strengthen.
04:58The goalkeeper situation being one,
05:01Eddie Howe wouldn't be drawn on that specifically.
05:04But of course, James Traffat is a name that has been heavily linked.
05:10The Espanyol goalkeeper, Jean Garcia, as well.
05:12There was reports in Spain yesterday
05:14saying Newcastle were closed to activating his release calls.
05:16As we understand, that's not quite the case.
05:19But, yeah, all these links are exciting, if you like.
05:25Some of them aren't true,
05:27but it's nice to know that Newcastle are being linked with players
05:29with a few actually going out and signing players this summer
05:32because, as I say, three contact your transfer windows
05:34without making a major sign them has been frustrating,
05:39but something they've had to do,
05:40given the big money they've spent,
05:44thanks on Alexander, Ezek, et cetera,
05:46Sandro, don't know where the club put themselves in a position
05:48where, unfortunately, they had to sell,
05:50but they've taken that hit now
05:52and haven't really felt it.
05:55I'd say that's down to Eddie Howe.
05:57So, yeah, hopefully a big summer transfer window.
06:00And so I think Eddie Howe has dropped a big hit.
06:02Goalkeeper on the agenda,
06:04a right forward on the agenda,
06:05and a centre-back as well.
06:06That's the three priority positions for Newcastle United this summer.
06:09But, Champions League football will, of course,
06:12be key to Newcastle United's budget,
06:15and the fan goes off here,
06:17and it will be key and bolster Newcastle United's transfer budget
06:20if they can go and get Champions League qualification.
06:22And they've still got a job to do.
06:24Eddie Howe is keen to make that known today at the press conference
06:27that, yes, they'll need one win,
06:29but they've still got a job to do there.
06:30So, if they can get over the line,
06:32secure a Champions League qualification,
06:33then it should be an even more exciting summer.