Howe on Joelinton's fitness, the transfer window and Arsenal
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Arsenal at St James' Park (20:00 GMT). The Magpies lead 2-0 on aggregate.
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Howe said Joelinton is a doubt after wearing a "knee brace as a precaution" but "we will give him every chance to be fit". Callum Wilson is "coming back" and there is a possibility he will return for Wednesday, while Harvey Barnes and Jamal Lascelles remain out.
On Lloyd Kelly's deadline day move to Juventus: "We're in the world of trying to manage PSR. I'm trying to make decisions that benefit us in the long term, and this is one of those decisions. So Lloyd leaves with our best wishes. He's certainly shown exemplary attitude in this time here and I'm sure he'll do well in Italy, and it's an exciting new challenge for him."
It was a quiet window in terms of additions: "It was not a case really of looking at incomings, it was a case of trying to manage outgoings and trying to not weaken the squad to a point where the team is affected. The squad is lighter in numbers but high in quality, so I think managing injuries will be a big part of what we do now."
Asked if the summer window will look brighter, Howe said: "The past year we've been managing a situation where we had to make decisions that we wouldn't have necessarily made from a football perspective. Hopefully by being prudent and making good decisions now, in the future we won't be making those decisions and we'll be making purely football-based decisions."
On taking a 2-0 lead into Wednesday's second leg: "My message is we are at the halfway point in the tie. Against any opposition the game is still very much alive. We have to approach the game in a really positive and aggressive way, try to be ourselves. There will be no deviation from that. We are in a good position and need to make the most of every opportunity."
On how important will the St James' Park crowd be: "Us and the crowd have become a really potent team together and that's what we're going to need. We're going to need to absolutely engage all our supporters in our energy and body language, and use every power we possess to involve them."
Follow all of Tuesday's football news
