Eddie Howe has offered an update on the injury front following last night’s brilliant Carabao Cup win over Man City, setting up a fourth round tie away to Man Utd!
The boss didn’t give away a great deal, but confirmed that Alexander Isak came off with a ‘tight calf’, adding that Callum Wilson was absent with ‘hamstring tightness’, with Sven Botman also nursing a ‘knee problem.’
Howe added that Bruno Guimaraes ‘twisted his ankle’, which explained why the Brazilian was limping his way through the final stages, while Paul Dummett was forced off with cramp. It’s also emerged that Dan Burn and Martin Dubravka were both unwell, which explains why they missed out on the squad.
Here’s what the 45-year-old told BBC Newcastle after the match, admitting we’re nursing several knocks:
“I hope he (Isak) is okay, he’s got a tight calf and we are nursing a few problems at the minute. The squad is stretched hence the changes to the team.
“Wilson was left out tonight with hamstring tightness, Sven Botman has a knee problem. Bruno twisted his ankle and Paul Dummett had cramp. Dan Burn and Martin Dubravka were unwell.”
Howe then commented on the game itself, hailing our second half display and huge effort to beat the European champions:
“I’m delighted with the efforts of the players. Very difficult game for us in that first half, I thought they played very well but we defended very well because we had to. We stayed in the game.
“We were slightly imbalanced so made changes at half time and were much better. The second half display was very, very good.
“I don’t know whether we deserved it because it was a game of few chances, but the players’ attitude was first class.”
On the draw against Man Utd, Howe then had this to say when speaking to NUFC TV:
“It’s not ideal – away from home is not what we wanted and it’s another top team. But we’ve proven tonight we can make changes and win a very difficult game. I’m sure Man Utd will be equally as difficult, but we’ll try and win.
“It’s the only way we can view it. We’ll get to that game when we get to it – we don’t know where we’ll be in terms of team and players available to us at the time – but the way we are going and the competitions we are in, we’re playing elite teams all of the time and we have to get used to it – it’s the only way we’ll improve.
“Not the draw we wanted – we respect Man Utd and how they do things – but we’ll have to face it.”
