United boss reveals midfielder has been playing

NEWCASTLE United’s FA Cup fate will be decided one way or the other tonight, and whatever happens millions of fans up and down the country will be hanging on every word of BBC Match of the Day commentator Guy Mowbray.

As we sit down to chat before United’s powder-keg cup tie between Pep Guardiola and Eddie Howe, it’s quickly established that this must be a big game given that the semi-finals of Gladiators on BBC – a reboot of the classic 1990s show – has been postponed for a week to accommodate Newcastle against City.

Mowbray’s instantly recognisable voice can be heard on Gladiators with up to 8.7 million viewers on a Saturday night as fans huddle around their screens to take in the action as traditional family TV appears to have come home. A similar audience could be watching tonight and Guy, like every football fanatic, is eager to see what unfolds, only his words could end up being historic, especially Newcastle can nick it.

The long-serving footballing wordsmith talked nervous Newcastle fans through the action in the last round at Blackburn Rovers and knows exactly what a victory for Eddie Howe’s team could mean this weekend.

For Mowbray knows it could change everything on Tyneside if Newcastle pull off what would be one of the shocks of the season in the competition at the Etihad Stadium. When asked if the fact Gladiators

EDDIE Howe has revealed that Sean Longstaff has been playing through the pain barrier in recent weeks and has been having painkilling injections to get him on the pitch.

The injury Longstaff has been playing through was first sustained at Everton last season, with the Academy product forced to continue in the team because of injuries to Elliot Anderson and the suspension of Sandro Tonali. But Howe admitted

fans have been told to wait underlines the big-game nature of this tie, the York-born commentator, who had a stint on Metro Radio earlier in his career in these parts, told The Chronicle: “Yeah, there’s no escaping me is there?

“I’m still on but a different time slot but, look, this is a big game, FA Cup quarter-final and it’s going to be great. I’m looking forward to it.

“And it’s not the foregone conclusion that a lot of people on the outside think it will be. You know that and I know that, but it could be that his lack of a full training schedule has contributed to his performance levels.

Howe, speaking at his Press conference before today’s FA Cup tie at Man City, said: “Sean needs to train regularly to get his best rhythm. I think his training in the last few weeks has been disrupted by an ongoing foot problem he first received against Everton at the end of last season.

“Last week he had an injection but very, very close – it could be a belter actually.”

BBC viewers certainly got their money’s worth when Mowbray talked them through 120 minutes plus penalties at Ewood Park in the last round. That night an intense battle could not be decided in 90 minutes before United scraped through on penalties to book a place in round six.

The award-winning commentator tells me: “That Blackburn tie is one of – if not – my favourite game that I have been to this season. I just thought it had everything.

“Blackburn played so far above themselves and gave it a real go. It just shows that the FA Cup throws something up, every round has something.

“You don’t know where it will come. Newcastle have every chance, they have already put them out of one cup this season, and the game in the Premier League at St James’ Park was very close and City won it late. Last season Newcastle staged a 3-3 draw at St James’. If any team can give Man City a problem in a one-off, Newcastle could. I know Newcastle have a rotten record in Manchester, but not in did train, but late in the week. That is always difficult for any player when their training week is disrupted.

“Sean has had some really good games for us this season and he is a really important player. He has game intelligence and his understanding of what we want from him is of the highest level.

“I back him, I back his ability and I know how good he is. He is integral to us when he’s at his very best but I do