The Newcastle manager provided mixed news on Bruno, Anthony Gordon and Lewis Miley, admitting defensive options remain stretched
Eddie Howe has delivered a clear message ahead of Newcastle United’s meeting with Brentford at St James’ Park, outlining cautious optimism on key injuries while acknowledging the challenges his side continues to face.
Speaking to the media on Friday morning, the Newcastle manager focused firmly on availability and recovery as his team prepares for another demanding Premier League fixture.
The Magpies are heading into Saturday’s clash on the back of two straight losses and one draw in their last three Premier League games.
The most encouraging update concerned Bruno Guimarães, who has missed Newcastle’s last four matches against Aston Villa, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool and Manchester City.
The Brazilian returned to training earlier this week and has responded positively, raising hopes that he could return to the starting lineup in time for the weekend.
Howe confirmed that Guimarães trained on Wednesday and came through the session without issues, a significant step forward given his recent absence.
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“Bruno’s getting closer. He did a training session on Wednesday when we were travelling. He felt pretty good. So I’ll see him today and fingers crossed he’ll be fit,” Howe said.
There was less certainty surrounding Anthony Gordon, although Howe was keen to reassure supporters that the issue is not serious. The winger is not expected to feature this weekend, but the manager stressed that his absence should not be prolonged.
“No major update on Anthony. Every chance he’ll miss this game coming up at the weekend but we hope it’s not a serious injury and he’ll be back pretty soon,” Howe added.
An update on Miley’s availability
Howe also addressed the situation of Lewis Miley, whose recent knock has prompted concern given Newcastle’s already thin midfield depth. As with Gordon, the message was reassuring, though a final decision is still pending.
“We’ll find out today [on Lewis Miley]. I’m awaiting an update on him but again it’s not a serious injury and we hope he’ll be back very soon,” Howe noted.
Miley’s rapid emergence has been one of Newcastle’s brighter developments this season, and his availability has become increasingly important as injuries have mounted.
While there was hope on the midfield front, defensive issues continue to complicate Newcastle’s preparations. Howe confirmed that Tino Livramento, Fabian Schär and Emil Krafth all remain unavailable, once again leaving the squad light at the