Eddie Howe provides Jamaal Lascelles injury update following Newcastle United's 2-1 win over Al-Ittihad

The Magpies’ captain was forced off during last weekend’s 1-0 win over Leeds United in the Premier League with a suspected hamstring issue.

But he travelled with the squad to Saudi Arabia and returned to training after missing the opening sessions at the start of the week.

In the 70 minute practice match against Al-Ittihad, Lascelles replaced stand-in captain Kieran Trippier at half time and got through the match without any obvious problems.

Goals from Allan Saint-Maximin and Ryan Fraser cancelled out Abdo Hamdallah’s goal to help Newcastle secure a win in the behind closed doors match at the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah.

Speaking on Lascelles’ swift return to action, Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe said: “It was a big boost for us. Touch wood Jamaal has come through that okay.

"It looks like he has and he's a big player for us, a big personality and I thought he played well again.”

During the trip to Saudi Arabia, Newcastle’s squad and staff enjoyed team bonding exercises, watched Saudi Arabia’s 1-0 World Cup Qualifying win over Oman live and met with PIF officials including Magpies’ chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

The Newcastle squad travelled back to England on Saturday and will now turn their attentions to their next Premier League match against currently managerless Everton at St James’s Park on Tuesday, February 8 (7:45pm kick-off).

Overall, Howe felt Newcastle’s mid-season trip to Saudi Arabia was a productive and positive experience for his side.

“Providing we've come through the game with no injuries, I think the trip has been a brilliant experience for everyone,” he told NUFC TV. “We've all come closer together.

"We needed the game [on Friday], you could see a bit of rustiness but we've had some good training and I think there was a little bit of fatigue going into the game but we're all trying to get into the best possible shape for Everton."

On the transfer front, Howe added: “[Doing transfer business] is not even about landing, it'll be during the journey as well! There is no stop at the moment, the window is coming to a climax and we need to make sure we're stronger than when it started.”

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