Newcastle United head into their Champions League play-off second leg against Qarabag in a commanding position, but Eddie Howe has still been forced to address fresh fitness concerns ahead of the clash at St James’ Park.
The Magpies carry a dominant 6-1 advantage from the first leg in Azerbaijan, where Anthony Gordon struck four times before half-time in a ruthless display. Despite that cushion, Howe insists there can be no complacency as Newcastle look to finish the job on home soil.
There were concerns following Monday’s open training session when key midfielder Sandro Tonali and in-form forward Gordon were absent from the group put through their paces.
With Newcastle having played 10 matches across four competitions in the last month – including a gruelling 5,000-mile round trip to Azerbaijan – speculation quickly surfaced that the duo could be carrying injuries.
However, Howe was quick to calm fears: “There were a few players that we just kept inside today, no real issue, four or five players I think we just wanted to look after.”
The update suggests both Tonali and Gordon are simply being managed carefully amid a packed schedule rather than facing any fitness setbacks.
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Fingers crossed over Botman and Wissa
Howe also provided a positive update on Sven Botman and Yoane Wissa, both of whom have been nursing issues.
“We hope so, we will wait and see how they wake up tomorrow but fingers crossed both will be involved,” he said when asked about their availability.
Despite the significant aggregate lead, Howe insists Newcastle’s mindset remains unchanged.
“We’ll look at the squad and try to pick a strong team,” he added. “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.”
With progression to the group stage firmly within reach, Newcastle appear in control — but Howe is determined to maintain momentum rather than allow standards to slip.
