Newcastle United injury and illness update as Alexander Isak sits out session

The club takes on Al Hilal in a friendly in Riyadh on Thursday ahead of next week’s home fixture against Rayo Vallecano.

Striker Alexander Isak, sidelined since September with a thigh injury, didn’t warm up with the main group at Al Hilal’s training ground. However, Isak has been out on the grass since the team arrived in the city, and Eddie Howe said: "Alex is just on the pitch here, running, and doing very well.”

Dan Burn flew out last night after missing the team flight due to illness. The defender wasn’t involved in today’s session, having arrived in the early hours of the morning.

“I believe he's flying today,” head coach Howe told NUFC TV. “He picked up an illness very late just before we were due to travel, so unfortunately he was unable to travel with us, but hopefully he'll join us in a day or two.”