Newcastle are currently out in Riyadh on a warm-weather training camp/PR mission where Eddie Howe is hoping to get the lads up to full fitness ahead of returning to duty later this month. At the same time, they will be doing many meet and greets and appearances designed to raise the club’s profile in Saudi Arabia in order to tap into the growing number of football fans over there.
There is also the matter of a friendly against the top team is Saudi Arabia on Thursday. Howe will be without several players who are on World Cup duty and has now issued an update on injuries ahead of the match.
Record signing, Alexander Isak is still on the road to recovery following the injury he picked up on International duty with Sweden and won’t be available for selection in Thursday’s friendly, or the one following against Rayo Vallecano on 17th December. In fact, it’s believed that he won’t be risked on Boxing Day against Leicester either as the club’s doctors have advised not to rush the striker back for fear of tweaking the injury further.
UPDATE: Alexander Isak will miss NUFC mid-season friendlies & faces race against time to be fit for return of Premier League. £60m striker has not suffered setback & remains on track, but club urging caution given previous recurrence of thigh injury
— Craig Hope (@CraigHope_DM) December 6, 2022
There are a few other knocks and niggles around the squad but, aside from Emil Krafth and Alexander Isak, there’s nothing too serious. Allan Saint-Maximin looks to be back to full fitness, so the only real worry now is that the lads out in Qatar return unscathed.
On that note there has been some concern about Callum Wilson who has a muscle strain and missed England’s training yesterday, but Newcastle’s doctors have been in touch with the England camp and they believe it’s only a minor niggle.
When the lads do return from World Cup action they’ll likely not be thrown into the game against Bournemouth on 21st in the Carabao Cup to ensure they’re ready for the game against Leicester on Boxing Day.