Eddie Howe Addresses Player Injuries, Team Performance, and Leicester Match

Eddie Howe, manager of Newcastle United, addressed reporters ahead of Saturday’s Premier League fixture against Leicester City, scheduled for a 15:00 GMT kick-off at home. Below are the main points from his press conference. Howe conveyed his empathy regarding Callum Wilson’s “pain” following the forward’s most recent injury setback. He stated, “I really feel for Callum because we see the work and dedication he has shown – not just in the recovery from this injury but throughout his career really. He is an inspirational player. He has taken himself away from family for a long period of time to get back to his best. When you go to that level of dedication and see him not get the end result this time, I feel really sad for him. I back him to come back again. We know his quality and we want to see him in a Newcastle shirt again and scoring goals.” Additionally, Nick Pope’s participation in the Leicester match is uncertain, and Joe Willock has not yet trained this week. Howe commented, “Nick has carried a new injury this week. Initially we thought it was nothing and he is seeking specialist opinion today. We hope he is available for tomorrow. Joe Willock we haven’t seen train yet. Lewis Miley has come through some games on his road to recovery so I am happy with him.” Furthermore, Sven Botman, despite resuming training, will not be available for the first team until the close of the month. Howe explained, “He has been training for a while. He has been training for around four weeks. That was the plan. We try and follow the right protocols to make sure he doesn’t get injured again. The plan is late December or very early January when he might be available.” Following the 4-2 loss to Brentford, Howe indicated that he has focused on fundamental aspects of the team’s play. He stated, “The fundamentals of our performance against Brentford weren’t right. When you concede four, there are issues. It was not cohesive defending. The last two games we have conceded seven goals. We have worked on it and hopefully that will show.” Howe mentioned that he embraces the high expectations at Newcastle. He commented, “You can never escape pressure. It is always there at a club of this size. I surround myself with my work and the focus of the work might change but the ethic and standards I demand of myself does not change. We are always in the pursuit of improvement, regardless of results. You are aware of what people may be saying but I don’t absorb any of it. I take criticism and you know it is part of the job. I encourage it because if it keeps it away from the players, that is crucial.” He acknowledged the distinct challenge presented by Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester team. Howe remarked, “It brings a couple of new challenges. He has made some tweaks and changed how he wants them to play. We are ready for that and we respect them and respect Ruud. We know the importance of this game and after the last result we need a reaction.”