Cryptic Newcastle United injury update & 'huge' boost revealed after 29-match absence

Eddie Howe wouldn't rule out a few players returning from injury as Newcastle United prepare to host AFC Bournemouth at St James' Park this Saturday (3pm kick-off).

Newcastle will be without the recently injured Callum Wilson as well as Joelinton, Nick Pope, Sandro Tonali, Elliot Anderson and Matt Targett. Alexander Isak, Jacob Murphy and Joe Willock may also miss the game but have not been completely ruled out by the Magpies boss.

Howe said Isak is 'probably not' going to feature against The Cherries before adding 'wait and see'. While Willock has been deemed 'very, very close' to a return after more than two months on the sidelines with an Achilles injury.

"[Willock] is another one like Alex, he's knocking on the door, very, very close, looking good and feeling much better," Howe said. "Another huge player for us that we're huge to get back, he's close."

Willock has missed the majority of the season due to various injury issues but will provide a welcome boost to Howe's depleted midfield.  

Elsewhere in the squad, Jacob Murphy picked up a calf issue during the warm-up at Nottingham Forest last weekend and was deemed 'unusable' for the match. The winger had not trained as of Friday morning, with Howe providing a deliberately coy update. "You need to listen to my words here, he has not trained Jacob," Howe said as a nod to his previous comments made about Anthony Gordon.

Howe's comments about Gordon missing training were interpreted in the media as the winger being unavailable for the trip to Forest. As a result, it was a surprise to see Gordon named in the starting line-up for the match.

And when asked if his comments regarding Murphy mean the winger is starting this weekend, Howe added: "It could mean anything!"

After Murphy, Isak and Willock, the next closest players to returning for Newcastle are Anderson and Targett. The pair have been out for over three months each with respective back and hamstring injuries.

They are both back on the grass and expected to return to full training by the end of the month. Newcastle will be hoping for no more injury issues picked up in the meantime.