United could be Spurred on by the return of ASM
FRENCH ACE IN CONTENTION - BUT DOUBTS OVER WILSON
NEWCASTLE United’s players were in for training on Good Friday ahead of their Easter showdown with Tottenham.
The Magpies will be hoping to banish the memory of their dismal 3-0 defeat to relegation rivals Brighton prior to the international break but face a tough test against Jose Mourinho’s Londoners.
Boss Steve Bruce remains defiant in the face of his critics despite a run which has plunged United into a fight for Premier League survival.
Defeat at St James’ Park on Sunday and a victory for Fulham at Aston Villa would see the Magpies enter the relegation zone for the first time this season.
Mourinho will be able to welcome back Song Heung-min for the trip to Tyneside, while United fans will hope to see Allan SaintMaximin and Callum Wilson in contention following lengthy injury lay-offs.
Here is what we learned as the Magpies were back in training ahead of their clash with Tottenham:
SAINT-MAXIMIN IN CONTENTION
IT HAS been a stopstart season for United’s talisman and the former Nice forward suffered another injury setback after being forced off in the draw with Wolves with a groin complaint.
The Magpies have sorely missed Saint-Maximin this season and fans will be delighted to see the 24-year-old pictured in training with the rest of the squad. Saint-Maximin had been pictured in recent sessions working away from the main group but Bruce has confirmed there is a chance the attacker will be able to play a part against Tottenham.
WILSON A DOUBT
THE former Bournemouth forward has again been pictured in action at the club’s Benton base but hopes of a return this weekend have been dampened.
Wilson had teased fans about a return from a hamstring injury suffered against Southampton in February with a social media post this week.
However, Bruce has confirmed Saint-Maximin is the more likely of the pair to be in a condition to feature this weekend.
DUBRAVKA FEATURES
DOUBTS had been raised over whether United’s number one would retain his place following a stomach complaint which ruled the goalkeeper out of Slovakia’s last two fixtures.
There was also the small matter of the 32-year-old’s partner Lucia giving birth to the couple’s first child Viliam on Wednesday.
Bruce stressed his confidence Dubravka will be in a position to start tomorrow and the goalkeeper seemingly took part in yesterday’s training session with no complaints.
NO FRASER AND LEWIS
THE former Bournemouth winger enjoyed a productive international break with Scotland, scoring in consecutive World Cup qualifiers against Israel and Faroe Islands.
United also welcomed Ciaran Clark and Jeff Hendrick back to training following their stints with the Republic of Ireland.
However, Fraser and Jamal Lewis – who was nursing a groin injury during his time away with Northern Ireland – were both absent from the gallery for yesterday’s session.