Toon defender waits on boss’ green light

SVEN Botman has spent the week in training and working on his fitness rather than being thrown into the blood and thunder of the FA Cup at Blackburn.

It was a decision that was made by Eddie Howe in the direct aftermath of Botman’s Arsenal nightmare when the exhausted looking Dutchman scored an own goal and made other mistakes in the 4-1 loss at the Emirates Stadium.

Botman looked way off the player that wowed Newcastle fans last season and Howe did not hesitate when making the call to rest him at Ewood Park.

Howe must now ponder whether to bring the 24-year-old star back into the starting line-up against Wolves this weekend.

It was Jamaal Lascelles who came in against Rovers, but he too did not have a great time in the side as Blackburn’s equaliser came following a misjudgement from the club skipper down the right-hand side of the field.

When asked about Botman’s absence, Howe said: “He was just rested.

“We felt that Sven would benefit more from training than being involved at Blackburn.”

That being the case, Botman should be fit enough to face Wolverhampton Wanderers and it will now be a judgement call for Howe on whether he is in the right place mentally to start the game at St James’ Park.

Howe had touched on the after effects of Botman’s knee injury suffered earlier in the season when speaking before the trip to Lancashire.

Howe said: “Sven had a very serious knee and he’s come back to fitness. I think he’s improved with each game but I think he is still working his way back to his very best levels.

“To play Premier League football you have to be in peak condition, you can’t get away with playing the game if you’re not. He’s fit to play, he’s done the work but as I said, it was a significant injury. Hopefully within a few more weeks he’ll be back to his very best levels.”

NEWCASTLE United could not have asked for a tougher assignment in the FA Cup after plucking treble chasers Manchester City out of the hat in the quarter-final draw.

The draw came just a few hours after reports in Germany claimed that Newcastle were interested in hiring Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann with the initial response from those close to the top at St James’ Park that Eddie Howe will get the time to get things right on Tyneside.

How much time and what getting it right now looks like with Newcastle seems to fluctuate from game to game and the only indication from the club’s Saudi backers in Riyadh is that PIF remain hugely ambitious, Howe has to align with their wish to aim high and stay competitive.

Howe has stayed calm in recent weeks but has reiterated that there is a lot “riding on” FA Cup success this season and the result at Ewood Park “means everything”.

After his dramatic quotes, which seem to contain a bit of a finality about them, it was put to Howe in

Sven Botman