Eddie Howe and his players will hope to get ten Premier League points from their first four games with another three points from Fulham. A victory would bring the Newcastle top of the table, one point ahead of Manchester City and three ahead of Arsenal, who will meet on Sunday at the Etihad Stadium. Today, on the eve of the match against Cottagersthe English coach himself spoke at the press conference.
The first words: “I see a really motivated team, a motivated team, that wants to do something really special this year. The commitment in training has been very good.”
A passage then dedicated to Sandro Tonaliwho recently spoke openly after the forced stoppage due to the betting scandal: “I think Sandro is much better, the international matches have helped him a lot. He is certainly pushing to be a starter, but I want everyone to do the same. He was very good against Wolves; we have great competition for places in midfield”.
A judgement instead on Harvey Barnes: “Harvey has a real coolness in front of goal, he has a way of hitting the ball, his positioning is very good. You don’t score his goals if you’re not in the right areas. He’s a very humble guy and ready to work for the team: I’m very happy with how he’s started the season.”
Then there are updates on Isaak’s conditions: “The ball grazed his eye, we thought that was the main reason for his exit from the pitch. Then we discovered that he had a knock to his foot. Today we will find out more and make a decision about him.” Regarding the midfield alternatives to Sean Longstaff: “Sean has been very good since I’ve been here. It’s been fantastic to work with him. His performances have improved, he still has areas to work on like all players, but he is crucial for us. The competition in midfield is higher than ever and he will be aware of that. He is competing with very good players for a starting place.”