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Eddie Howe has backed Harvey Barnes and Matt Targett to take their potential Newcastle United opportunities.
Anthony Gordon’s red card against Brighton last Sunday will rule him out for three matches - including the Carabao Cup final next weekend. Lewis Hall and Sven Botman compounded Newcastle’s misery when news broke about their lengthy injuries in midweek.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the Premier League trip to West Ham United, Howe placed the onus on Barnes to allay fears about Gordon’s suspension. The £38million man enjoyed a bright start to the campaign - scoring five goals - but has not started a top-flight fixture since December.
“He is another player who just returned from injury,” Howe said. “It’s great to see him back because we’ve really suffered with a lack of options in the wide areas. Harvey’s return has been a massive lift for everybody. You can see on Sunday that he’s still working his way back to those very best sharpness levels.
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“He’s very fit but there’s that lack of game time. He’s a huge player, one that’s always got goals (and is) very creative. We really like Harvey. He’s been unfortunate that Anthony has been in such good form but we certainly back him and I know he can make the difference.”
Targett has also played just 11 minutes in the Premier League this season and will compete with Tino Livramento for a place at left-back given Hall’s absence. Injury woes have derailed the defender’s career at St James’ Park but Howe rates him highly.
“He’s a great professional,” Howe added. “A really good teammate who is very popular in the dressing room. He does his job diligently and really looks after himself.
“He’s had various injury problems over the last three years. That would be the biggest reason why he hasn’t played. When he comes back, the team have (always) been doing well and (looking) settled.
“Lewis Hall’s form this season has been strong but this does present an opportunity for Matt. He’s a player that will never let us down. He has a lovely left foot, a really good technical player so potential opportunities for him are on the horizon.”