English
Español
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Premier League game against Manchester United at St James' Park (kick-off 20:15 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
- Jacob Ramsey has recovered after being ill but Nick Woltemade is absent with a similar issue. "There's an illness in the squad. Nick has gone down ill and we haven't seen him for a couple of days," said Howe, adding: "We'll give him every chance [of recovering for tomorrow]."
- Howe said Ramsey is "getting better and better" and added: "He's got a bit of everything. It's been good for him to score important goals for us. It will have done his confidence levels the world of good. He now feels fully at home."
- Howe said full-back Tino Livramento is "getting closer and closer" to returning from injury. He says he is constantly asked about it in interviews, but added: "I do the same to the medical team - it's like a chain that goes down."
- Asked about the Magpies seeming to do better against bigger teams and struggle in games they would be expected to win, he said: "It's a bit of a head scratcher for us." He added: "It's the psychology of sport and human beings. We have struggled in that respect."
- On their patchy home form, he said: "When you get a blip like this it feels abnormal. It's hurting us. We pride ourselves on trying to give our supporters what they want and we've not been able to do that in recent games."
- He said he feels "frustration" at "uncharacteristically performing in a way that's cost us points". "We feel we're a good team and we've made progress but then we step back from a point where you feel we're moving forward," he added.
- On facing Manchester United, Manchester City in the FA Cup and then Barcelona in the Champions League in the space of a week, Howe said: "If you said four years ago this would be your run of games, you'd have bitten whatever off to be in this position."
- Asked whether it is impossible for a team outside the 'big six' to juggle the Champions League and domestic football well, he said: "I don't like the word impossible regarding what we can achieve because it gives everyone a way out and an excuse. It's difficult. Our schedule this season makes the one two years ago look easy. It puts a real stretch on our players, resources, energy levels and peak physical condition. There is no doubt players have gone into games tired and fatigued."
- On Woltemade's form: "It's funny how one performance or bad game can bring a cloud around a player. His performances, if you look at them with a holistic view point, have been excellent in recent games." Howe added while the goals have dried up, Woltemade's "all-round game is better than it was".
There will be live radio commentary of the game on BBC Radio 5 Live (first half Sports Extra 3), BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website.
Follow all of Tuesday's Premier League news conferences here