Newcastle star ‘very close’ to returning says Howe | OneFootball

Eddie Howe has confirmed that Lewis Hall is “very close” to returning, but Yoane Wissa still has a way to go in his recovery.

Hall has been out with a hamstring injury since the start of the month but the young defender, who was not fit to face Tottenham in the Carabao Cup fixture on Wednesday, is very close to a comeback as the Magpies prepare to take on West Ham this weekend at the London Stadium.

“Hopefully he’ll be training with us today [Friday] for the first time,” he said. “ We’ll see how he looks. He’s worked really hard, he’s looked after himself, he looks in really good shape but we will have to re-introduce him at the right time.” 

There are no new injuries in Howe’s side, but they are “still managing” Will Osula’s ankle injury and remain without summer signing Wissa, who is yet to make his debut for his new team. 

“He’s on the grass, he’s getting the fitness working but he definitely won’t be involved on Sunday,” Howe said on Wissa. “I’d say he’s not close to training with the group, not through injury but through fitness. I’m not trying to be evasive but I don’t know when the moment will be when he’s back with the squad.”

Howe recognised the need to do better as Newcastle are looking to win their first away game this season, having not won an away fixture in the Premier League since April. 

“Our away form has not been strong enough,” he said. “We know that. It is something we want to rectify and put right and we will be working hard to do that in this game.”

West Ham, sitting 19th in the table, are yet to win a home game, but Howe did not discount his opponents, especially their attacking threat. 

“The thing I would say from looking at the squad they have got is they have a group of very good players,” he acknowledged. 

“There is no doubting the quality of the players they have got, especially in attacking areas. We are going to have our work cut out in keeping a good defensive structure and making sure we limit the space for all their attacking talent.”

A win this weekend would be the first time Newcastle have strung together back-to-back league victories this season, and given their current spot in 12th, just five points outside the top four, it would help ease the pressure ahead of November’s international break.

“It would be huge for us and I think it is only with back-to-back wins, if you look at the league table, that we are going to propel ourselves back up,” Howe said.

“It’s so tight. There are a lot of teams congested around where we are and you are looking for one positive result to try and elevate you. So this is a big game for us.”

“All games in the Premier League are important, but as we go to the next international break the next two [at West Ham and Brentford] are huge.”