Eddie: We may not have 14 for next match

EDDIE HOWE says Newcastle are ‘dangerously close’ to having fewer than 14 players ready for Thursday’s trip to Everton after a Covid outbreak and a bruising draw with Manchester United. The Magpies named one fewer substitute than permitted and included two goalkeepers on the bench. They then lost scorer Allan Saint-Maximin and striker Callum Wilson to injury. Howe said: ‘I believe it’s 13 plus a goalkeeper to have enough players for a game. We’re going to be dangerously close to that number, if there’s Covid in the camp. We are stretched and it is a difficult moment for us. The lads gave everything but we are thin in terms of bodies.’ Howe said Saint-Maximin’s injury was serious enough for him to come off but less of a concern than Wilson’s problem. He was withdrawn in the first half feeling the back of his leg. ‘Callum’s injury doesn’t look good,’ said the manager. ‘The way he went down with no one around him, I feared the worst. He felt he’d been kicked and that is why he thought he could run it off. That wasn’t to be.’ On the result, Howe added: ‘We are very disappointed, we deserved to win. The lads executed the game-plan brilliantly. How De Gea saved from Almiron at the end, I don’t know. I thought it was in. ‘Hopefully we’ve seen the beginning of a new team and how we want to play. We want more control in games. We really hurt Man United on transitions. But for a bit more luck we could have won the game.’ Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick was far from happy with his team, who were playing for the first time in 16 days after a Covid outbreak of their own. ‘I didn’t like the performance at all, it needs to get better,’ he warned. ‘Even in possession there were too many giveaways, too many unforced errors, including the goal. We also have to get more physical. ‘We shouldn’t look for excuses like the 16-day break.’