Newcastle United striker ruled out of PSV due to injury after fresh training ground update
Newcastle United v PSV team news: Eddie Howe has ruled out two players from Wednesday’s Champions League match at St James’ Park.
Newcastle United return to Champions League action against PSV Eindhoven at St James’ Park on Wednesday night (8pm kick-off).
The Magpies will be looking to guarantee progress to the next stage of the competition and keep their top-eight hopes alive with a victory against the Dutch side.
A top-eight finish would secure progress straight through to the last-16 while teams finishing 9th to 24th in the group phase will take part in a knockout round play-off tie next month. While Newcastle could lose their next two games and still progress, they still have plenty to play for in regard to a potential top-eight finish or at least how well seeded they are for a two-legged play-off.
NUFC set to progress in Champions League
Looking at the prospect of qualifying in a top eight spot, head coach Eddie Howe said: “It would be nice.
“But I think we just relish the games, the two games that we have to come. I think the best way to sort of answer that question is to try and win the next two games in front of us and starting with tomorrow's game, which is a great game for us, a really magical game, I think.
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“[PSV are] a very good team, I've been very impressed with all the research we've done on them and how they've been playing and the recent results. So it's set up to be a great game.”
Newcastle welcomed back Dan Burn and William Osula to training ahead of the PSV match this week. Burn has been out for over a month with broken ribs and a punctured lung while Osula has missed the last 11 weeks with an ankle injury.
But Howe has ruled the pair out of Wednesday night’s match.
“Making really good progress, Dan,” Howe explained. “We anticipated sort of the journey back that he's had. He's pretty much stuck to the timelines we expected. He won't make tomorrow, it's too early.
“Same with Will Osula, today was their first day with the team, or first day with the team, should I say, but hopefully not too far away.”
In addition to Burn and Osula, Fabian Schar, Tino Livramento, Emil Krafth, Jamaal Lascelles and Jacob Murphy are set to miss Wednesday’s match.
Following the PSV match, Newcastle host Aston Villa at St James’ Park in the Premier League this weekend before wrapping up their Champions League group phase with a trip to holders Paris Saint-Germain next Wednesday.