Forgotten Newcastle United player set for Premier League reprieve – and another could return to squad

Three spaces have opened up in the club’s 25-man Premier League squad following the departures of Jonjo Shelvey, Chris Wood and Karl Darlow in last month’s transfer window.

Newcastle signed winger Anthony Gordon and right-back Harrison Ashby, both 21, from Everton and West Ham United respectively in the window, and Eddie Howe gave his verdict on the club’s January transfer business after Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg win over Southampton.

“I think no window is perfect,” said United’s head coach. “I don’t think this window has been perfect for us, but that’s just the reality of the situation.

"I think we’ve signed two really talented young players. I’m really pleased with those signings.”

Gordon and Ashby will not take up places on the club’s revised 25-man list as they were born on or after January 1, 2001 – and this means that Howe can name a fourth goalkeeper, Mark Gillespie, in his squad.

Gillespie, signed as a free agent in the summer of 2020 following his departure from Motherwell, wasn’t named in the squad for the first half of the season.

The 30-year-old, out of contract in the summer, would join Nick Pope, Martin Dubravka and Loris Karius in the squad.

Unusual step

Then-United Steve Bruce took the unusual step of naming four goalkeepers in his squad in the summer of 2021 with Dubravka and Darlow unavailable due to injury and illness respectively.

Gillespie, involved in the warm-up before the Southampton game, made three Carabao Cup appearances for Newcastle in the 2020/21 season.

Right-back Emil Krafth – who may not play again this season after undergoing knee surgery earlier this season – is also likely to return to the squad after being left out after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament last August.

Every space in the 25-man squad must be filled in the squad if the club has eligible senior players.

PREDICTED SQUAD: Dubravka, Gillespie, Karius, Pope; Anderson (Under-21), Ashby (Under-21) Botman, Burn, Dummett, Krafth, Lascelles, Lewis, Manquillo, Schar, Targett, Trippier; Almiron, Fraser, Gordon (Under-21), Guimaraes, Joelinton, S Longstaff, Murphy, Ritchie, Saint-Maximin, Willock; Isak, Wilson.