Eddie Howe names 'frustrated' Newcastle United player

Howe opted not to loan out Elliot Anderson last summer after the midfielder impressed him after returning from a promotion-winning spell at Bristol Rovers last season.

And the 20-year-old has featured regularly off the bench, but he would have had even more minutes on the pitch had it not been for a series of “niggly” injuries.

Anderson – who broke into the first-team squad the season before last, and signed a new “long-term” contract last September – also saw his full Premier League debut against Liverpool last month cut short by the dismissal of goalkeeper Nick Pope.

"He's had a good couple of weeks in training, I'd say,” said United’s head coach, who has used the “versatile” Anderson in a number of positions.

“I'm sure if you asked him, he'd say he's had a frustrating season to this point, because he's had a number of little niggly injuries, nothing serious, in the early part of the season which really restricted his time on the pitch.

"Now he's come back to full fitness, and he's been fit for a while, so he's now built that resilience in his body. He looks in a good place, he's certainly going to be needed, and he's going to get opportunities between now and the end of the season.

"What I love about Elliot is he's versatile; he can play wide, he can play inside. With a small squad, he's got a huge part to play."

England reportedly want Whitley Bay-born Anderson to switch international allegiance from Scotland for a second time.