Howe lifts lid on “nasty” Anthony Gordon injury as Newcastle forced into changes
Lee Ryder
3 – 4 minutes
Eddie Howe has offered an update on two of his injured Newcastle United stars after the 2-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur.
Howe hopes that both Sven Botman and Anthony Gordon are good to go once again on Tuesday night against Arsenal for the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg. But he hinted that he could make changes against the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium as his team looked leggy towards the end of the victory at Spurs.
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Howe, speaking after the 2-1 win over Tottenham, said: “We managed the game very well and the injuries we had were genuine. A lot of players coming off. It was a physical game for us. For Sven it was nothing more than cramp which is to be expected with the lack time he’s had.
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“It was a great effort from him to last that long. We were unsure how long he’d last but thankfully he got through the game. With Anthony I think it was just a cut but it was a nasty cut. He did well to get back on the pitch. But nothing more than that.”
Botman’s return to action, for the first time since last March, saw him complete 90 minutes of action following a serious knee injury. But the Newcastle head coach felt he sailed through the game fitness-wise until stoppage time.
The Newcastle boss said: “He has done the work and I would not play him if I did not think he was ready. He has been very dedicated to his recovery.
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“We have seen him put in an extraordinary amount of work before he started training with us. He has been training with us for six weeks and he has played in three games and looked good.
“Of course, he won’t be at his optimum level but that will come in the following months. I thought he was physically and mentally ready to play and to be involved again.
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“It was a difficult start for him and the team because Tottenham scored but a great response. I thought he did very well today.”
And dropping a hint at possible rotation for the Arsenal clash, Howe reflected: “We need to assess how the players feel. We need energetic players for Arsenal.
“That is going to be a physical game and it is a very quick turnaround. I think it is the same for Arsenal and they have had a harder schedule than us.”
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