Eddie Howe shares fresh Newcastle injury concerns – report

After Newcastle United’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea in a friendly on Wednesday, Eddie Howe spoke about the fitness situation of his players. Fabian Schar had to leave the pitch with a possible hamstring problem, but Howe said it was not a major concern.

He also gave updates on Sean Longstaff, Joe Willock, and Javier Manquillo, who are all working hard to regain their fitness levels. The Newcastle manager praised their efforts and hoped they would be ready soon.

As quoted by Chronicle Live, the Newcastle boss said: “Sean Longstaff is still not training with us but we anticipate he will be back pretty soon. Joe Willock is a similar position, he is not fully training with us. Javier Manquillo isn’t training with us at the moment. I think that’s about it.”

Howe revealed that Manquillo is still not fully fit after a knock that ruled him out of the last two games of the previous season. The right-back has played some minutes in the USA tour, but he is unlikely to feature again soon. He will probably miss the next friendly against Brighton.

Manquillo is not a first-choice player at St James’ Park, but he is a valuable backup for Kieran Trippier. His unavailability could put more strain on the 32-year-old defender.

Moreover, missing out on a proper pre-season can affect a player’s performance during the season. Manquillo will have to work hard to match his teammates’ fitness levels once he recovers.

The same applies to Willock and Longstaff. They are also behind their peers in terms of fitness, and they may not play against Brighton. However, the Magpies have plenty of options in midfield, especially with the recent signing of Sandro Tonali. Howe will manage without Willock and Longstaff for now.

It will be curious to see how the manager alters his lineup for the Brighton game, with many of the club’s young talents having impressed this summer.