Eddie Howe Discusses Gordon’s Injury, Tonali Fan Reaction, and Set-Piece Performance

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe addressed the media in advance of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup match against Chelsea, scheduled for a 19:45 GMT kick-off. The following are the main points from his press conference: Howe confirmed that Anthony Gordon sustained an injury during training on Friday: “He has been for a scan, we are hopeful the injury isn’t serious, let’s see how he is today. There is a chance he [could play this week], but we have to make the right decision.” When questioned about the negative reactions from some supporters when Sandro Tonali has been substituted in the last two games, Howe responded: “I love that the supporters regard Sandro in the highest esteem as I do. The only thing I would ask is that any frustrations are reflected after the match, rather than in the moment. It creates an element of doubt.” Regarding the significance of the League Cup, Howe stated: “It has been an important competition for us since we have been here and that has not changed. We will pick a team to win the game. Chelsea are a difficult opponent, I am sure they will make changes, but with those changes they will still be a very strong team. We are desperate to progress.” Asked about Lewis Miley’s potential inclusion in Wednesday’s squad, Howe commented: “We have to be really careful with Lewis, we need to manage him right. He’s trained well, no problem with his training performances. I will be taking guidance by the experts to make sure we don’t push him too quickly.” Howe was asked why Newcastle has struggled to score from corners this season: “I think we’ve had a lot of chances. I hate to use xG, but our xG from set plays isn’t too bad. It’s competitive, we should have scored at least one. We are missing a few key corner takers, and missing a bit of the height and strength we’ve had previously. We will have to evolve again.” Concerning Chelsea, Howe remarked: “This is one game where they could make wholesale changes or one or two changes, we don’t know what they will do. We need to plan for what we will do, we know there are certain aspects of our performance that we need to get right to win and that will be our focus.” On the upcoming January transfer window, Howe indicated: “My part in that will probably take prominence towards the end of November. There is probably a lot of work going on behind the scenes that I’m not a part of, but I will begin to get involved.”