Sky Sports’ North-East reporter Keith Downie has issued an update from the Toon training ground on Tuesday, revealing a host of players who missed today’s training session ahead of Thursday’s trip to Everton.
Kieran Trippier didn’t feature and has been ‘inside receiving individual treatment’, but it seems there’s no concern there and he’ll be OK to face the Toffees. However, it looks like Sven Botman (knee) has NOT trained with the group today despite The Athletic reporting that he’d return to the group yesterday.
Elsewhere, Downie also reveals that Joe Willock, Callum Wilson, Sean Longstaff, Harvey Barnes, Elliot Anderson, Nick Pope, Dan Bun and Jacob Murphy were also nowhere to be seen. The majority of those were expected to be absent, with most out until the New Year, but it was hoped Botman, Wilson, Longstaff, Willock and Barnes would be back in training soon.
As a result, Eddie Howe is expected to name the same squad at Goodison Park on Thursday night, with Nick Pope the only player set to drop out following a dislocated shoulder that looks set to sideline him for 4-5 months.
On the plus side, it seems – Pope aside – here’s no new injury issues, with Anthony Gordon appearing to shake off tightness in his hip that caused him some discomfort during Saturday’s win over Man Utd.
