Eddie Howe has provided Newcastle United fans with some positive injury news for a change.
While he has confirmed that Joe Willock and Lewis Miley are going to be absent for the rest of the campaign alongside Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles, there was at least some good news ahead of the game against Crystal Palace.
The Magpies are preparing to face the Eagles after more than a week off, having not played at the weekend due to Manchester United’s FA Cup commitments.
That should mean that Newcastle are fresh on Wednesday, up against a Crystal Palace side who have found form. They have won their last two games, following their victory over Liverpool at Anfield with a 5-2 thrashing of West Ham United.
It is going to be a tough game for Newcastle United, whose fans will be hoping that a key player is back after a lengthy layoff.
Eddie Howe delighted with how Newcastle United striker has trained
Eddie Howe has spoke to the media ahead of Newcastle’s game against Crystal Palace, and provided the Chronicle with an update on Callum Wilson‘s condition.
The 32-year-old has been missing since the end of February with a pectoral injury, missing 10 games. However, it was reported last week that the striker has returned to training, which Howe has now confirmed.
“He’s trained very well and it’s been good to have him back,” he said.
“He’s trained really well. He’s been able to focus on his legs and his running and he’s came back really good. Hopefully he can hit the ground running.
“Callum’s game is very physical. He wants to get into those duels, that’s one of his big strengths. So getting confident in those situations this week has been a big thing for him.”
Unclear when Callum Wilson will return for Newcastle
But while Howe is delighted with how Wilson has looked in training, he was unable to confirm if Newcastle’s number nine will be in the squad to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
“I think there’s been some misleading stories that players are training and close to playing when they’re not,” he said.
“I don’t imagine a huge change in our squad for tomorrow’s game but hopefully one or two players could come back.”
Wilson fighting for his Newcastle future
With six Premier League games to go, Wilson will be keen to return as soon as possible.
He will be desperate to prove his worth to the Magpies, at a time when Alexander Isak is in the form of his life. The Swede has scored 21 goals this season, and has established himself as Newcastle’s main man up front.
That is not something that Wilson will like, having been the Magpies’ go-to guy for so long. I can’t imagine he has enjoyed watching Isak score for fun while he sits on the sidelines.
Not only does Wilson need to close the gap on Isak, he is also fighting for his Newcastle United future. It is unclear whether or not he will remain at St James’ Park beyond this summer, and that might depend on how he performs in the remaining weeks of the 2023/24 campaign.
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