A Newcastle United journalist has hailed the return of Javier Manquillo to training ahead of the Brentford game, but did not see Allan Saint-Maximin in preparations for the match.
The Lowdown: Six-pointer
Given the teams’ respective points on the board, positions in the Premier League table and contrasting form , the match on Saturday afternoon really is a six-pointer.
As such, Eddie Howe will want as many of his squad available as realistically possible, in order to give them the best possible chance of leapfrogging the Bees int the table.
The Latest: Manquillo back for Brentford clash
Taking to Twitter, Newcastle World journalist Jordan Cronin has hailed the return of Manquillo to training ahead of the clash, but also noticed that Saint-Maximin did not take part as he continues to recover from his injury.
He outlined: “Boost for #NUFC with Javier Manquillo back in training. No sign of Allan Saint-Maximin, though.”
The Verdict: Mixed feelings
The Toon Army will likely have mixed feelings over Cronin’s update. The possibility of Manquillo returning against the Bees will be a boost, but Saint-Maximin may not be fully fit to play if he wasn’t seen in training.
According to WhoScored, the Spaniard has been Newcastle’s seventh-best player in the Premier League so far this term, and he would be perfect for filling in the void left by the injured Kieran Trippier at right-back.
However, being without Saint-Maximin once more will be a big blow, given his importance to the team. He is their second-highest scorer in the top flight so far this season with five goals, and his three assists are more than any of his team-mates have produced (WhoScored).
Nonetheless, Howe will now be hoping that both will be fit enough to start at the Brentford Community Stadium on Saturday.
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