Eddie Howe is anxiously monitoring the fitness of Newcastle midfielder Joelinton ahead of their crucial Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Arsenal.
The Gunners travel to St. James’ Park on Wednesday night, hoping to overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit after their home defeat last month. Arsenal, however, come into the clash in high spirits following a stunning 5-1 victory over Manchester City.
Newcastle, in contrast, suffered a setback with a 2-1 home loss to Fulham on Saturday, a match in which Joelinton sustained a knee injury. The Brazilian, who has been a key figure in Howe’s squad this season, was later seen wearing a knee brace.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Howe admitted that Joelinton remains a major doubt but hasn’t been ruled out entirely.
“After the game, Joey was put in a knee brace as a precaution, but he’s out of it now,” Howe said. “We’ll assess how he is, but I’d say he’s a doubt. We’ll give him every minute possible to see if he can make it.”
Newcastle are also managing injuries elsewhere in the squad. While Callum Wilson is available again, Harvey Barnes and Jamal Lascelles remain sidelined.
Despite Newcastle’s two-goal cushion, Howe insists his team must maintain an aggressive approach against Arsenal.
“We’re only at the halfway point,” he said. “We performed well in the first leg, but against a team of Arsenal’s quality, the tie is still alive. We have to be on our guard, stay positive, and be aggressive.”
Newcastle’s strong home form could be a decisive factor, and Howe is counting on the St. James’ Park crowd to play a key role.
“We’ve become a really potent team at home,” he added. “We need to engage the crowd and create a positive atmosphere.”
The winner of this tie will face either Tottenham or Liverpool in the final. Spurs currently hold a one-goal advantage heading into their second leg at Anfield.