Javier Manquillo and Emil Krafth could return to boost Newcastle backline

Posted Friday, December 24, 2021 by PA

Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe hopes to have defenders Javier Manquillo and Emil Krafth available after illness for Monday’s Premier League clash with Manchester United.

Manquillo missed Sunday’s 4-0 defeat by Manchester City, for which Krafth was an unused substitute, but both are expected to be fully fit.

Midfielder Jonjo Shelvey, who also sat out at the weekend with groin and hamstring strains, will be assessed, but full-back Jamal Lewis is likely to miss the whole festive programme, joining fellow defenders Federico Fernandez (thigh) and Paul Dummett (calf) on the sidelines.

United are set to end an enforced 16-day Covid-19 break with only the injured Paul Pogba unavailable.

Raphael Varane (hamstring) and Edinson Cavani (tendon) could feature for the first time since being injured during a Champions League group game in Atalanta on November 2.

Anthony Martial and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are also expected to be fit after missing United’s last fixture through injury, a 1-0 win at Norwich on December 11.

Newcastle provisional squad: Dubravka, Darlow, Manquillo, Murphy, Ritchie, Krafth, Schar, Lascelles, Clark, Hayden, Shelvey, Willock, Hendrick, Fraser, Almiron, Joelinton, Saint-Maximin, Wilson, Gayle, Anderson, White.

Manchester United provisional squad: Henderson, Heaton, De Gea, Kovar, Dalot, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Bailly, Varane, Maguire, Mengi, Shaw, Telles, Matic, McTominay, Fred, Van De Beek, Mejbri, Mata, Lingard, Fernandes, Sancho, Amad, Elanga, Ronaldo, Rashford, Greenwood, Cavani, Martial.