Eddie Howe is hoping the return of Newcastle United’s injured players can lift the mood at the club.
Though the season hasn’t been a complete and utter disaster, Newcastle United are never far from a crisis.
Though Howe is not facing the sack at Newcastle, there’s little doubt that he’s under pressure.
His side’s away form remains little short of an embarrassment and a defeat at Burnley on Tuesday night would be difficult to accept.
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Indeed, Newcastle fans are starting to get frustrated with Howe, after he suggested it was “irrelevant” if games came home or away, with the manager simply wanting to focus on the 90 minutes as a single entity.
The mood is low at Newcastle but Howe is hopeful that welcoming the likes of Kieran Trippier, Sven Botman and Nick Pope back into the squad can help things turn around.
Eddie Howe hails Kieran Trippier, Sven Botman and Nick Pope as leaders
The Newcastle United manager was speaking during his pre-match press conference ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Burnley.
Howe fielded questions from journalists following the Manchester United game on Boxing Day, given the tight turnaround in this relentless fixture schedule.
When addressing Newcastle’s current malaise, Howe was quick to stress that he was of the belief that things will start to improve when the aforementioned trio return.
“We have a lot of injuries to our backline at the minute and a lot of players missing and that adds a feeling of strength and security to our team,” he said.
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“So a lot of our frailties defensively in part can be put down to that, only in part, I am not blaming that on everything.
“So we have some big players to come back and some big characters. A lot of leaders who haven’t been fit and available, Sven Botman, Kieran Trippier and Nick Pope. They have been big voices and you miss that leadership as well.
“I think – ultimately – long-term we will be fine, but we are going through a period where we are going to be tested, we need to be strong mentally and stay resolute in our beliefs.”
Trippier and Botman are still injured for Newcastle but Pope is already on the way back from his recent ailment.
The goalkeeper was on the bench against Manchester United on Boxing Day and could start ahead of Aaron Ramsdale on Tuesday.
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When Kieran Trippier and Sven Botman could return from injury
Trippier is expected to return in the New Year, having suffered a hamstring injury in late November.
That will be a major boost for Howe, who could do with the veteran’s leadership during a difficult few months.
Even if Trippier isn’t regularly starting matches, he can still offer something given all of his experience.
Botman, meanwhile, could be back even sooner.
Prior to the Manchester United game, Howe confirmed that Botman is making good progress on his return from a back injury.
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