Every picture tells a story – and Newcastle’s fans will be hoping the club’s latest have a happy ending 1. Lascelles and Ritchie are all smiles 2. A show of unity with the skipper 3. No sign of Jonjo Shelvey on the training pitch

NEWCASTLE United were back on the training ground after their deeply disappointing 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Thursday. And the club made a few points with the pictures they published of the training session that is leading up to the Manchester City clash on Saturday. So here’s what we noticed from the latest set of training photos. After a week of headlines about Jamaal Lascelles and Matt Ritchie’s training ground altercation, it was somewhat inevitable that the first set of training pictures would feature the pair prominently.

The picture put out by the club showed the pair – both battling to be fit for the trip to Manchester City on Saturday – on exercise bikes laughing. And the club put out the pictures with the tagline “Staying together” in a notso-subtle message that everything is fine between the duo.

They’re friends off-the-pitch but ultra-competitive on it so it wasn’t that much of a surprise that the heated discussion has been buried as they look ahead to important games in the weeks to come.

More importantly was the fact both were on the training pitch, which suggests they’ll be available for the Etihad trip. Lascelles was also pictured talking to Benitez on the training field, which – again – was probably a message to supporters fretting about their relationship.

There was only ever going to be one winner – Benitez can be ruthless when he needs to be – and the fact they are back talking on the training ground suggests Lascelles, who is about to become a father, has accepted that too. Newcastle have suffered for Shelvey’s absence in the past and with no Mikel

Merino this year, they look a less creative side without him in it. And the fact that he missed another training session suggests that he won’t play against Manchester City.

Newcastle aren’t likely to do much attacking at the Etihad if recent games at the top six sides are anything to go by but still, Shelvey will be a huge miss. Newcastle look much more functional without him and ex-Swansea man Ki needs to move through the gears if he’s going to prove an adequate reaplacement.

4. Salomon Rondon looks in good nick

He opened his Newcastle account with a really smart goal after coming on for the final minutes at Nottingham Forest and if we were light on positives at the City Ground, at least he was one.

He looks sharp and focused in training and will be in contention to get his second successive Premier League start against Manchester City.

Whether it’s him or Joselu handed the job, it’s likely to be a lonely furrow they plough at Manchester City given United’s likely defensive tactics.

5. It’s time to get to work

There’s no getting away from it: United have been distinctly ordinary in their first few games of this season. Barring a second half effort against Spurs on the opening day they’ve struggled to assert themselves in games – losing to Forest and drawing with Cardiff in games you’d expect them to win.

The team look like they’re doing the right things in training but it’s time to apply those lessons in matches too. This season is in danger of falling into a negative cycle and Newcastle cannot afford to let that happen.