Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has been talking to the media earlier than Tuesday’s Champions League knockout section play-off second leg in opposition to Qarabag at St James’ Park (kick-off 20:00 GMT).
Listed here are the important thing traces from his information convention:
Commercial
Howe is hopeful Sven Botman and Yoane Wissa might be concerned on Tuesday, however they should “see how they get up tomorrow” earlier than making a choice. He additionally confirmed these not out in coaching on Monday, together with Anthony Gordon, have been simply working indoors.
With a 6-1 lead going into the second leg, the Newcastle boss mentioned he’ll “presumably” rotate the squad however they’ll nonetheless “choose a robust staff” to win the sport, including: “It is a actually delicate steadiness we’ve acquired between rotating the squad and ensuring everybody’s contemporary, to profitable the sport and in addition ensuring gamers do not lose rhythm and we do not lose the great feeling that we have had.”
On the significance of their Champions League outcomes with the inconsistency within the Premier League: “I believe we’ve kind of saved our greatest for that competitors. Loads was made from the end result at Qarabag, however for me, it wasn’t the end result, it was the efficiency, the style and the starvation we confirmed in that sport throughout to ship a extremely, actually good efficiency. That is the the very best degree I believe we have performed at this season.”
Howe mentioned reaching the last-16 was their “preliminary goal” earlier than the competitors started: “When you’re at that time of the competitors, I believe something can occur. We again ourselves in cup ties, one-off video games. That appears to have introduced out one of the best of the squad this 12 months.”
On lacking the suspended Malick Thiaw, who has began the previous 38 matches: “It will be a blow for us. I mentioned that when the suspension was confirmed. A giant loss for us on the coronary heart of our defence. He has been a mannequin of consistency, and his latest video games have been a few of his strongest of the season. He is been very good and been an unbelievable signing for us.”
Requested whether or not ahead Nick Woltemade’s transfer to a deeper position might convey an analogous transformation to Joelinton’s in midfield, he responded: “No, I would not essentially say so. I can perceive why you’d ask the query, however I might say Nick was at all times in our ideas very a lot as a deep-lying participant. Deep-lying quantity 9. All his finest work got here from beginning larger and coming decrease. Now, simply beginning decrease and staying within the center line, I do not suppose is a good change.”
He added: “He does have a freedom on the ball to take up central positions, he has the liberty to float to a level throughout the pitch, so it is not a stranglehold by the place in a single place.”