BadboyMustySpurs boss Ange Postecoglou has confirmed he is without strikers Dominic Solanke and Richarlison, however will welcome back Rodrigo Bentancur following his head injury on the opening day against Leicester City.
Solanke started their 1-1 draw at the King Power Stadium but hasn’t played since due to an ankle injury. Richarlison, meanwhile, picked up an issue in training this week.
Postecoglou explained: “Rodrigo is all good, he’s passed all the protocols we need to, and more importantly he feels really good and the medical team are really comfortable with him being available for Sunday.”
“Unfortunately, Dominic Solanke, who also picked up a knock at Leicester and missed last weekend, isn’t ready to return – and Ange reported that Richarlison was injured in training this week, and is expected to ‘miss the next few weeks’.
“Dom is close but we’re going to be a bit cautious with him, we’ve got a big programme post the international break, so he’ll miss out on Sunday. The only other one we got midweek is Richarlison, who unfortunately picked up an injury in training, so he’ll probably miss the next few weeks.”
Meanwhile, Newcastle are set to be without Joe Willock after he sustained a thigh injury at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday. The midfielder was making his first start since April and opened the scoring after just 18 seconds but needed to be replaced in the 15th minute.
“Joe had a scan yesterday [Thursday], an early scan,” said Howe. “It is relatively good news. I don’t think it is a serious injury, but it is early, so we will re-scan again in a few days again just to confirm that.”
Callum Wilson remains sidelined with a back injury – he is yet to feature in pre-season or in the opening three games, but could return after the international when the Magpies take on Wolverhampton Wanderers. Lewis Miley, Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles are long-term injuries.
United’s biggest absence is Fabian Schar, who scored in last season’s 4-0 win at St James’ Park, due to suspension.
Schar was shown a straight red card for violent conduct after clashing with Ben Brereton Diaz against Southampton on the opening day. Howe’s side appealed the suspension but it was upheld, resulting in a three-match ban.
Football Association rules state: “A player who, when not challenging for the ball, deliberately strikes an opponent or any other person on the head or face with the hand or arm, is guilty of violent conduct unless the force used was negligible.”
Newcastle argued that the force Schar used when ‘striking’ Brereton Diaz was negligible but an independent panel disagreed.
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