Newcastle United have released photos of the players in training this morning ahead of Saturday’s friendly against Rayo Vallecano.
The bad news is there’s no sign of Alexander Isak, who looks increasingly unlikely to be ready for our Carabao Cup clash with Bournemouth on Tuesday, after being ruled out of this weekend’s game on Tyneside.
Eddie Howe insists he’s suffered no injury setback, so it seems the club are managing the Swede carefully to ensure his thigh makes a full recovery.
On the plus side, Joelinton and Chris Wood appear to be OK after both limped off during our 5-0 win over Al-Hilal last week, as both trained with the group on Thursday morning.
Joelinton came off after the break with a hamstring complaint, while Wood was withdrawn before the half-hour mark due to a back problem.
Matt Ritchie also featured in the training photos, suggesting he’s recovered from a calf injury that has kept him out until September. He’s unlikely to be part of Howe’s first-team plans, but his return could boost his hopes of sealing a January move away.
After missing the Saudi friendly due to illness, it’s good to see that Matt Targett and Karl Darlow trained as normal, meaning they may also feature in Saturday’s game against Rayo Vallecano.
