Joelinton gets through much needed minutes in behind closed doors friendly game at the KNOX
Newcastle United head coach Matthias Jaissle
Newcastle United played a behind-closed-doors friendly with Middlesbrough
Newcastle United staged a secret friendly game with Middlesbrough at the KNOX training ground to allow returning stars to get some vital match minutes.
With the likes of club captain Dan Burn, Joelinton, and Nico Gonzalez all recovering from knocks, Newcastle used senior players but are understood to have lost 1-0 to the Championship outfit. Joelinton is yet to play a single Premier League minute this season after an ongoing muscle problem.
Jaissle is eager to see Joelinton back in action and said: "He has qualities, on the ball and out of possession. He is a leader, his body language shows that. We need warriors in the team; we are really happy to have him back training with us."
When asked about the friendly against Boro, Jaissle said in his Press conference: "We had one (a friendly) last week and used that for a few guys who were here but also for the young lads from the Academy, which was good."
It is expected that Lewis Miley will have shaken off a knock in time for Coventry, while Burn is returning from an ankle injury after missing the start of the season.
Burn has not appeared in a competitive match since the World Cup semi-final against Argentina, when England suffered heartbreak in Atlanta.
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Jaissle will weigh up the fitness of the likes of Amar Dedic (thigh) and Jacob Ramsey (thigh), but William Osula (foot) is a major doubt, along with longer-term absentees such as Tino Livramento and Anthony Elanga, who have muscle problems.
Jaissle said: "I have allowed some of them an extra day off. We will have a full group in tomorrow.
"We are hopeful there will be three or four back from the nine missing against Hull City.
"Joey (Joelinton) is progressing well; he is doing better. We need to be smart in our load management."
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