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Newcastle United players have returned to the training ground this week in preparation for Monday’s trip to West Ham United in the Premier League (8pm kick-off).
The match comes after Newcastle’s disappointing FA Cup exit to Brighton at St James’ Park on Sunday as well as several blows to key players. Lewis Hall and Sven Botman have been ruled out for extended periods and require surgery while Anthony Gordon has been handed a three-match suspension following his red card against Brighton.
Gordon’s ban will rule him out of the West Ham match and the upcoming Carabao Cup final against Liverpool as well as the league match against Brentford after the international break. Eddie Howe suggested Newcastle could appeal the decision but the club since decided against doing so.
Although he is banned, Gordon is fit and available to train with the Newcastle squad and was one of 20 first-team players pictured in the session at Darsley Park on Wednesday. Crucially, Alexander Isak also played a part but was only pictured training individually having been forced off against Brighton on Sunday.
Four Newcastle United players missing from training
The only three senior first team players missing from training will come as no surprise following the recent injury news. Hall and Botman were both absent along with Jamaal Lascelles.
Lascelles has been recovering from an ACL injury and is set for over a year on the sidelines as he battles to be fit again before the end of the season. Hall has already been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign while Botman’s knee surgery will keep him out until the back end of the season at least.
Jamal Lewis is still training away from the club following his return from a loan spell at Sao Paulo due to injury. But he has been named in Newcastle’s official Premier League squad for the second half of the campaign and would be eligible to feature if called upon.
Goalkeepers Martin Dubravka and Odysseas Vlachodimos also weren’t pictured in training but no issues have been reported.
Newcastle United academy stars called up again
In the absence of some key players, Howe once again called upon some of the Newcastle academy’s most promising young stars to train with the first team. 17-year-old duo Sean Neave and Leo Shahar have been regulars around the first-team training ground in recent weeks as they bolster the numbers.
Neither player has made their competitive debut for the club as things stand and aren’t in serious contention for first team call-ups ahead of West Ham or the Carabao Cup final. But their ongoing presence around the first team shows they will have a role to play in helping the side get prepared for an important run of games.
Newcastle United’s ‘22-man’ training squad
As per the club’s official training gallery...
Goalkeepers: Nick Pope, John Ruddy, Mark Gillespie (Martin Dubravka and Odysseas Vlachodimos not pictured)
Defenders: Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Dan Burn, Matt Targett, Tino Livramento, Emil Krafth, Leo Shahar
Midfielders, Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Joelinton, Lewis Miley, Sean Longstaff, Joe Willock, Jacob Murphy, Harvey Barnes
Forwards: Callum Wilson, Alexander Isak, Will Osula, Sean Neave
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