Newcastle United sweating on player’s fitness as Eddie Howe hopes to welcome back winger v Manchester City
Eddie Howe is preparing to make a late fitness call ahead of Newcastle United’s match against Manchester City at St James’s Park this Sunday (4:30pm kick-off).
The Newcastle head coach was without several players for the goalless draw at Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend.
Ryan Fraser (back), Matt Targett (hamstring), Emil Krafth (back), Federico Fernandez (calf) and Jonjo Shelvey (hamstring) were among the absentees.
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Hide AdBut Howe is hopeful of welcoming at least one player back against City this weekend.
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“Ryan, we hope, will be fit and available,” the Newcastle head coach said in his pre-match press conference. “He had a back spasm late last week so he was a late withdrawal from the [Brighton] game.
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Hide Ad"He’s trained this week and Matt, we’ll make a very late decision. Other than that I think we’re okay.”
Targett’s absence last weekend saw Dan Burn cover at left-back with summer signing Sven Botman making his full debut as a left-sided centre-back.