Steve Bruce issues Newcastle United injury and illness update as Allan Saint-Maximin prepares to return

Midfielder Jonjo Shelvey made his comeback from a calf problem in a behind-closed-doors game against Burnley yesterday. However, Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin were among those who sat out the away game, which Newcastle lost 1-0.

The club will complete it’s pre-season programme with a game against newly-promoted Norwich City at St James’s Park on Saturday.

“It’ll be decent for Jonjo,” said head coach Bruce. “He’s had a really tough time with it, you know, getting injured before we even started. It was cruel for him, he has to make it up somewhere. So he’s on the way to recovery.”

Miguel Almiron – who played for Paraguay in this summer’s Copa America – is back at the club after a break. Saint-Maximin has been sidelined with an illness since late last month, but the winger could be back in training by the end of the week.

“Well, Almiron will now start with the group, which is good, so he’s back,” said Bruce. “Then, of course, we have got the illness to Allan Saint-Maximin, which we hope by the weekend will be OK.

“Yes we’ve got a few missing, (but) the ones who played, good for them.”

Meanwhile, defender Paul Dummett is out with a calf problem.

Bruce told NUFC TV: “It’s unfortunate. He’s nicked a calf at Doncaster the other night, which is a shame, as he’s had a really good three weeks. But we’ve been unfortunate in that department.”