“Very close” – Howe issues injury update on 5 Newcastle players ahead of Man City trip

Earlier this week we saw a largely positive update from Craig Hope on Anthony Gordon, Sven Botman and Dan Burn, but the boss has discussed where all three are at this morning, along with the latest on Harvey Barnes and Joelinton’s fitness.

Newcastle travel to the Etihad on Saturday hoping for our first win over Man City since 2014, handing us a chance to bounce back from a defeat to Fulham in our last league game and capitalise on the Champions’ fragile form this season.

There’s good and bad news to share from Eddie Howe’s Friday morning press conference regarding the availability of all three players this weekend.

Anthony Gordon has trained this week and will be back in the squad tomorrow, but Sven Botman looks set to miss out. There is “no long-term issue” for the Dutchman and Howe expects to have him back for the next few games, but the centre-back looks set to sit out of Saturday’s match.

Dan Burn’s scan results were positive and he’s improved “very quickly” from a groin issue picked up at Birmingham, leaving him “very close” for the trip to Man City.

Discussing all three, Howe said: “Anthony [Gordon] should be fine; he has trained this week. It was a thigh problem, but he has responded well to treatment over the weekend.

“It’s good news on Sven’s [Botman] scan, no long-term issue. Short term still some pain, we think he misses this weekend. Hopefully he won’t miss games in the next few weeks.

“For Dan [Burn], initially, it did not look positive. But he’s had a scan which was good, he has improved a lot very quickly, so he could be very close this weekend.”

Howe recently suggested it would be “weeks not months” for Joelinton and Howe is expecting the Brazilian to be back for next month’s Carabao Cup Final, confirming he’s making “good progress.”

Harvey Barnes is also nearing a return from a thigh issue, with Howe revealing that the winger will “soon be in contention” to play again after picking up an injury in last month’s 3-1 win over Bromley.

“We hope by that time [Carabao Cup Final] he [Joelinton] will be back fit and available. He is very driven to get back. Joe is making good progress.

“When he approaches his injury, he is very positive to get back and shave time off the estimated target that he has been given, which is a great thing, but also, we need to control that and make sure that he comes back in a really good place. He is very positive at the moment.”

“Harvey [Barnes], I am really pleased with how he has looked, he is not far at all, another one that can soon be in contention.”