Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe has provided a positive injury update on Sven Botman and Yoane Wissa before Tuesday’s Champions League knockout round playoff second leg against Qarabag FK at St James’ Park.
Centre-back Botman, who has had his fair share of injury issues during his time with the Magpies, has missed the last three games in all competitions with a back problem.
Wissa, meanwhile, has also sat out of the last three matches with a “nasty” knock, having previously been sidelined with a long-term knee injury following the striker’s big-money summer transfer from Brentford.
Newcastle fans were boosted by the news that both Botman and Wissa took part in first-team training on Tuesday, and Howe has since confirmed that the pair are set to be included in the matchday squad against Qarabag, pending a late fitness test.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday afternoon, Howe said: "We hope they'll be involved. We'll see how they are when they wake up tomorrow, but fingers crossed they will be."
Meanwhile, Bruno Guimaraes, Tino Livramento (both hamstring), Lewis Miley (thigh), Emil Krafth (knee) and Fabian Schar (ankle) all remain sidelined with injuries.
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Howe will name a “strong” Newcastle team against Qarabag
Newcastle carry a healthy 6-1 lead into the second leg after celebrating their biggest ever European victory in last week’s first leg in Azerbaijan, where Anthony Gordon scored four of the Magpies’ five first-half goals.
Malick Thiaw and Jacob Murphy were also on the scoresheet for Newcastle, who can afford to lose by a four-goal margin on Tuesday and still progress on aggregate.
Howe is keen to see his side bounce back from Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League defeat at Manchester City and will name a “strong” team against Qarabag, as he does not want his players to lose their "rhythm".
"We'll look at the squad and try to pick a strong team,” said Howe. “We want to win the game, that's the first target. In some senses we want to keep a good rhythm with the players.
"It's a delicate balance between rotating the squad and making sure everyone's fresh and also making sure players don't lose rhythm and we don't lose the good feeling we've had.
"The atmosphere around the squad has been really strong in the last few weeks. It's been a really good response to a difficult period for us. We're ready for tomorrow's game."
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Newcastle have ‘saved their best’ for the Champions League this term
On Newcastle’s Champions League exploits so far, Howe added: "There have been some great performances in the Champions League, and we've sort of saved our best for the competition.
"A lot was made of the result against Qarabag in the first leg but for me it was the performance and the manner and the hunger we showed. That's the level I want us to try and attain, or as close as we can, as often as possible.
"[Last-16 qualification is] something we spoke about before the competition started - that was our initial target, we wanted to reach the last 16. Then when you're at that point anything can happen.
"We back ourselves in cup ties and one-off games, that seems to have brought out the best of the squad this year. As much as that's the target, we've still got to win tomorrow's game and that's what we'll focus on."
Newcastle, who have never qualified for the Champions League knockout rounds before, will face either Chelsea or Barcelona in the last 16 if they finish the job, as expected, against Qarabag.